Cracow, in Polish Kraków, situated on the Vistula river at the foot of Wawel Hill, is one of the oldest and largest cities of Poland.
The former residence of the Polish kings and national capital until 1596, the city is considered by many to remain the spiritual heart of Poland due to its history of more than a thousand years.
In 1978 UNESCO placed Cracow on the list of World Heritage Sites, the same year as Cracow’s archbishop, Karol Wojtyla, was elevated to the papacy as John Paul II, the first non-Italian pope in 455 years.