This stupendous monument memorializes an equally stupendous battle: at Grunwald the Poles with a little help from their friends broke the strength of the apparently unbeatable Teutonic Knights.

A reminder of Krakow's past as a city worth defending, the Gate marks what little exists of the old defensive walls pulled down and replaced with trees

If you want a pictorial souvenir of your trip to Krakow, you'll find numerous choices adorning the remains of this 14th century defensive wall.

'The theater' in Krakow, this late 19th century beauty drew design inspiration from the Paris Opera.

the Collegium got its start in the 14th century, marking the beginning of a long intellectual tradition in Krakow

The Collegium slid into semi-existence when its founder died, but was revived again by another thinking king, Jagiello, who developed it into a strong university which today bears his name.

This isolated creature is all that remains of the impressive defenses that surrounded Krakow. The Barbakan structure, A Military building built in 1498, strikes the eye as unusual: its design is Arabic instead of European

Less common than it once was, this juxtaposition of renovated buildings with the still-yet-to-be makes a basic point about Krakow and Poland in general: the past is either being retrieved or rebuilt.