KrakowInformer.com

 

Culture has always been all-important in Krakow. In the past, the King's city had to be the cultural capital of Poland – and in the dark days of communism, culture and high-class entertainment was Krakow's means of defense against the dull absurd of the past regime.

 

After the fall of communism in 1989, and a short period Cracow needed to accommodate to the new reality, but after 20 years one can truly say that Krakow entered the 21^st century as one of Europe's top cultural cities. No wonder that in the year 2000 it was nominated European city of culture – and a lot has changed since than: all for the better.

Krakow Festivals

Krakow's annual culture events are numerous and diverse, devoted to all kinds of art, from theater and classical music to cinema and contemporary, electronic sounds. Hardly a month passes without an important cultural event, and from May to September their density grows even bigger. The most outstanding Krakow festivals include the Jewish Festival, the Coke Live Music Festival and many more.

Krakow Theatres

With a few hundred years of history, the Krakow Old Theater remains one of the best in Poland, and holds its own in Europe – but it has quite a strong competition in Krakow – the magnificent Juliusz Slowacki Theatre along with the younger ones, often experimental or simply popular, puts on excellent plays. Each day, the Krakow Theatres offer numerous possibilities of classical as well as contemporary repertoire.

Krakow Cinemas

From multiplexes screening the latest blockbusters to art houses showing the forgotten classics, showing that film is pop-culture as well as high culture, the Krakow Cinemas are diverse and numerous. Cracow can teach you that regardless of what film you see, it matters where you see it.

Krakow Opera

Krakow finally got its own opera house in December 2008, and it seems that its three auditoriums will remain the most popular place in the city for high-culture lovers. It started with the magnificent premiere of Krzysztof Penderecki's “The Devils of Loudun” which just made Krakow's cultural appetites grow even bigger.

Krakow Music

From accordion players on the Main Square to top pop and rock stars performing on the Blonia Commons – every place in Krakow is simply full of music. Finding a live music club that will suit your needs can take some time – but complaining about excess is simply rude.

Krakow Museums

Royal Arrases in the Wawel Castle, an excellent collection of Polish 19^th century art in the Sukiennice or some more contemporary in the National Museum – or maybe a genuine Da Vinci in the Czartoryski Museum – you will find it all, and much much more in the Krakow Museums – an evidence of the centuries of Cracow culture. A full tour of the museums in Cracow could take as much as a few years – the exhibits are nearly infinite, and the exhibitions are often changed.

Jagiellonian University

To have culture one has to teach culture – and Krakow's Jagiellonian University has been doing that for almost 450 years, being Poland's oldest. But this university just seems to get better with age, and is worldwide known as Poland's best.