Login 
Create an Account 
Wawel Cathedral is located on Wawel Hill in Krakow, Poland. It is a Roman Catholic church and also a cathedral of the Archdiocese of Krakow.
The edifice of the cathedral was constructed three times. First, it was destroyed in the 11th century. The second time when a fire broke out in the 12th century. And third – the current construction that started in the 14th century.
Given its history and national significance, the cathedral is one of the top things to see in Krakow.
Recommended Tour: Krakow Private Skip the Line Wawel Castle and Cathedral Guided Tour
Exterior of the Cathedral
From the beginning, people associated the Wawel Cathedral with the sound of ringing bells. Nowadays, there are two bell towers with nine bells. In the Sigismund Tower you will find five larger bells with the most famous Sigismund Bell. In Silver Bells Tower you will find four smaller bells.
There is also the third tower. People know it as the Clock Tower. This is the house of the clock mechanism as well as two gongs. The gongs strike for hours and quarters of an hour.
Recommended Tour: Krakow: Skip the Line Wawel Castle and Hill Guided Tour
Interior of the Cathedral
The interior of the Wawel Cathedral comprises a nave with aisles, transepts with aisles, a choir with double aisles as well as an apse with ambulatory and radiating chapels.
In the apse you will see the main altar. Bishop Piotr Gembicki founded it in 1650 and Giovanni Battista Gisleni created this altar. Later, Marcin Blechowski in the 17th century painted the altar with the Crucified Christ.
If you are looking at the main altar you should also look above it. There is a tall canopy made of black marble. It is supported by four pillars. A silver coffin of national patron Stanislaus of Szczepanów is placed underneath that canopy. It is the second coffin. Swedes stole the previous one in 1655.
Inside the cathedral you will also find the Sigismund Chapel, Royal chapels and crypts as well as the national poet’s crypt.
The Sigismund Chapel is one of the most notable architectural pieces in Krakow. People often say that this is the purest example of Renaissance architecture outside Italy. It is a square-based chapel with a golden dome. Inside of it are the tombs of Sigismund I – The Old (founder) as well as his children – King Sigismund II Augustus and Anna Jagiellon.
From the 14th century, the Wawel Cathedral was not only the place of the Polish king’s coronation but also the main burial site for Polish monarchs. For that reason, there are multiple burial chapels as well as crypts there. The crypts are located under the cathedral. They hold tombs of Polish kings, national heroes and also generals and revolutionaries. For example, there are tombs of Jan III Sobieski, Tadeusz Kościuszko, Władysław Sikorski and Józef Piłsudski.
There is also a crypt of National Poets where there are tombs of Adam Mickiewicz and Juliusz Słowacki.
Wawel Hill Sightseeing
During your sightseeing you will see:
- Inside of the Cathedral and its many chapels
- Wawel Cathedral Museum
- Sigismund Belltower
- Silver Bells Tower
- Clock Tower
Wawel Cathedral Opening Hours
Cathedral opening hours:
– April – October
From Monday to Saturday: 9.00 am – 5.00 pm
Sunday: 12.30 pm – 5.00 pm
– November – March
From Monday to Saturday: 9.00 am – 4.00 pm
Sunday: 12.30 pm – 4.00 pm
The Cathedral Museum is open at the same time except Sundays. On Sundays the Museum is CLOSED.
You can buy a ticket at the same time, but the ticket counters close half an hour before the Cathedral timing.
Wawel Cathedral Tickets
As with many cathedrals and churches in Poland, admission to the cathedral is free. If you want to see the Sigismund Bell, Royal Tombs as well as Cathedral Museum tickets are:
– Individual tourists
Normal ticket: 22 PLN
Discount ticket: 15 PLN
– Group (more than 11 people with certified guide)
Normal ticket: 20 PLN per person
Discount ticket: 14 PLN per person
Audio guide:
There is also an option for an audio guided tour around Wawel Cathedral with the Sigismund Belltower which takes 40 minutes, the Royal Tombs (10 minutes) as well as the Cathedral Museum (20 minutes).
-Normal ticket: 12 PLN
-Discount ticket: 8 PLN
-Group: 6 PLN per person
Please note: The above information is correct and updated from the official website as of March 2022.
Suggested Wawel Cathedral Tours
If you are in Krakow, Poland and want to visit the Wawel Cathedral you should pick one of our amazing tours! You will not only have an amazing guide but also skip the line tickets! Don’t waste your precious time in long queues!
You have different tours to choose from:
Wawel Cathedral Guided Tour
Pick this tour if you want to focus only on the Wawel Cathedral. If you want to go inside the Cathedral you need to have a guide with a special license. Don’t worry, all of our guides have it. For that reason, you will easily go inside.
Your guide will share with you the history of the Cathedral as well as Polish kings. He will also answer all of your questions.
This is a 1.5-hour tour and it is available from Tuesday to Saturday at 9.00 am. Pick the best day for you and join our amazing tour! The maximum number of people in the group is 15 participants.
Top things to see in Krakow: Wawel Castle and Cathedral Private Guided Tour
If you want to see two top attractions in Krakow during one tour this is the perfect option for you!
Firstly, you will go to the Wawel Castle. Normally, people are waiting in long queues to find out that the tickets are sold out. If you pick our tour, you will skip the line ticket and avoid that situation.
Later, your guide will take you to the Wawel Cathedral. He will show you its beautiful interior and also tell you about the history of that place.
This 3-hour tour is available from Tuesday to Saturday at 10.30 am, 11.30 am, 12.30 pm, 1.30 pm and also 2.00 pm. Pick the best day as well as time for you and join our tour! You can book the tour here!