Wawel Cathedral
Poland
The Gothic cathedral located on the current site is the third iteration of the building. The first cathedral was built in the 11th century but was later destroyed. The second cathedral, constructed in the 12th century, met a similar fate as it was destroyed by a fire in 1305. The construction of the current cathedral began in the 14th century under the direction of Bishop Nanker. Throughout the centuries, the building underwent numerous expansions and renovations under different rulers, resulting in its unique and diverse architectural style. The cathedral features elements of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, and Neogothic styles in both its exterior and interior. The exterior of the cathedral boasts side chapels and ornate mausoleums, with the most notable being the golden-domed Sigismund's Chapel.
The cathedral serves as the official seat of the Archbishop of Kraków and the Archdiocese of Kraków. It is considered a symbol of Polish statehood and faith, and it plays host to important religious events and annual celebrations. Karol Wojtyła, who later became Pope John Paul II, celebrated his first Mass as a priest at the Wawel Crypt in the cathedral on November 2nd, 1946. He was also ordained Kraków's auxiliary bishop in the cathedral on September 28th, 1958.
Interior
The Cathedral is a complex architectural structure that is composed of several different parts. It begins with the nave, which is the main central aisle of the church, and is surrounded by aisles on either side. The transepts are two smaller aisles that cross the nave, creating the shape of a cross. The choir is located at the front of the church and is also surrounded by double aisles. The apse, which is located at the end of the choir, features an ambulatory, which is a circular walkway that surrounds the altar, and radiating chapels, which are smaller chapels that branch off from the ambulatory.
The main altar is located in the apse and was founded in about 1650 by Bishop Piotr Gembicki. It was created by the artist Giovanni Battista Gisleni. The altar painting, which depicts the Crucified Christ, was created by Marcin Blechowski in the 17th century. Above the main altar is a tall canopy of black marble, which is supported by four pillars. This canopy was designed by the architects Giovanni Battista Trevano and Matteo Castelli between the years of 1626 and 1629.
Underneath the canopy is a silver coffin that contains the remains of the national patron, Stanislaus of Szczepanów (also known as Stanisław Szczepanowski). This coffin was created between the years of 1669 and 1671, after the previous one, which was donated in 1512 by King Sigismund I the Old, was stolen by the Swedes in 1655.
Royal chapels and crypts
The Wawel Cathedral, located in Krakow, Poland, has been the primary burial site for Polish monarchs since the 14th century. Throughout the centuries, the cathedral has undergone multiple additions and alterations as individual rulers have added their own burial chapels. The crypts beneath the Wawel Cathedral hold the tombs of a variety of important figures in Polish history, including kings, national heroes, generals, and revolutionaries. These crypts are divided into several sections, including the A-I Royal Crypts (B St. Leonard's Crypt), J Crypt of National Poets, and K Crypt of the Archbishops.
Some of the notable figures buried in the Wawel Cathedral include John III Sobieski and his consort Marie Casimire, who were rulers of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Also buried there are the remains of Tadeusz Kościuszko, who was the leader of a Polish national insurrection and a Brigadier General in the American Revolutionary War. Władysław Sikorski, who served as Prime Minister of the Polish Government in Exile and was the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Armed Forces, is also buried in the cathedral. Additionally, the remains of Marshal Józef Piłsudski, the founder of the Second Polish Republic, are also interred in the Wawel Cathedral.
The Wawel Cathedral also holds historical significance for Pope John Paul II. He celebrated his first mass in St. Leonard's Crypt and at one point considered being buried there. Some people in Poland had hoped that, following ancient custom, his heart would be brought to the cathedral and kept alongside the remains of the great Polish rulers. However, Pope John Paul II was ultimately buried under St. Peter's Basilica, a papal burial site since antiquity.