Basic information about Krakow

The former capital of Poland is located in the southern part of the country, approximately 400 km from its current administrative center, Warsaw. The city is situated in the basin of the Vistula River, spanning both of its banks and several small islands that were formed by the river's tributaries. The old part of Krakow is located on the left bank, while new neighborhoods and suburbs are growing on the right.

The population of Krakow is around 760,000 people, not including the residents of the suburbs (the total population of Krakow with its suburbs exceeds 1 million people). Nearby the city, there are popular resort towns such as Zakopane (a ski resort) and Krynica (a mineral water resort).

The exact founding date of Krakow is still unknown, but the first written mentions of the city date back to the mid-10th century. However, archaeological excavations indicate that Slavic settlements existed in this area long before that time.

By the end of the 10th century, the city became part of the Polish Kingdom, and from the 14th century, it served as the capital of Poland until the 17th century. Even after the capital was moved to Warsaw, Polish kings continued to be crowned in Krakow, where their official residence was located. In the 18th century, the city came under the rule of Austria and returned to Poland only in 1918.