Cracow is a way more then Wawel Dragon and charming streets on Kazimierz Jewish Quartier..There are so many must do in Cracow for all adrenaline seekers! Do you know what does Pussy Hole? It is not a joke! What does make this place so dreadful? Have you ever heard about Cracow’s catacombs? Where does hang the legendary knife, terrible witness of crimes committed in Cracow?? Let’s check Cracow off the beaten path.

What are unusual places in Krakow?

Krak’s Mould – Kopiec Kraka

How to you think why Krakow has this name? Krak, first of his name and slayer of the dragon was founder of the town. Our first legendary rouler found here eternal peace. The legend says that when he died people of Cracow brough the soil in their own sleeves and builded this mould. The best time to visit is the next day after Easter. This day famous Festival Rekawka has place. We can move again to the medieval times and see the fight of warriors and try medieval food. It’s purely amazing! The rest days of the year it’s a very relaxing place, definately perfect for a date. Even at midnigh;)

Catacombs

Open just one time a year, after National Holiday: All Saints Day (2nd of November) This is the second day of the festival, when all Poles visit graves of their family and friends, burning candles and putting flowers on the thumbs. It’ s remnants of pagan practices of our ancestors who ate, drunk, and partied on graves to honor of a memory of deceased. Second day of the festival appeared in early medieval in monasteries, as a day of prayer for deceased monks. In the basement of the church there are 60 coffins with glass cover. Through it we can observe very well preserved human bodies.

Museum Of Beksinski, NCK

Museum of the gloomiest Polish painter,  member of the cursed family. In the middle of the old communist district Nowa Huta, you can see fabulous dark surrealist paintings. Skeletons, deformed bodies, infinite solitude, dreadful landscapes. There is no other painter with such sens of colors, with such dark imagination. Standing long time watching his masterpieces  I haven’t had enough. There is a famous story telling about the curse on whole the Beksińscy. All members died in dramatic circumstances.  Obsessed by death, father and son attracted it to themselves..

Austriac’s fort

There are numerous fortifications left by Austriacts as a part of Fortress Kraków (Twierdza Kraków).  The most important of them is Benedykt Fort. which  is located on the top of the hill near by Old Podgórski Cemetery. The Neo-Gothic red brick citadel was built in XIX century. Gloomy fort with scary powder store is not well known even to Cracovians.

Old Podgórski Cemetery

One day we made a shooting on this cemetery. It was late night… Then my friend told me: Today we have Friday the 13th! OMG! I almost pissed in my pants! Hopefully there was no ghost intervention! The cemetery is worth to see because of old graves and special atmosphere. During the daytime the old gate reminding me ambient of painting of big romantic painter- Caspar Friedrich …

German Nazi Concentrated Camp in Plaszów

There not so much to see as Germans destroyed whole camp before Red Army came. But there is a lot of to feel! The most poignant element of the field is a monumental memorial showing people ripped out of their hearts. The original name of place where the monument stands given by prisoners is Cipowy Dołek (ang. Cunt Hole). The humor helped them to survive the nightmare of a war. Currently authorities asked Google Maps for changing of historical name, because of its vulgarity. Now in Google Naps we can find C-Dolek- (English. C- Hole). Why to lie about historical truth! 

Red House– previous Amon Goeth’s villa is well known to visitors from famous Shindler’s List movie. Another horrible place is  The Grey House– building where prisoners were investigated and tortured by Germans.

Lost Souls Alley

The walk on scary corridors when you can meet Freddy Kruger is not for everyone. People with weak heart should not visit this place, as skilled actors participate in hunting on your soul.

Kacia Nora – Museum of Tortures

This private collections is located in a medieval  basement and presents vivid image of  painful past of Middle Ages and Renaissance.  You can check  instruments of punishment used by authorities and investigators.

Alwernia Studio

Well, maybe it is not a dark place, but for sure surrealistic and weird enough to be placed on this list. Next to Cracow direction to Katowice we can see cosmic station. Interior design is inspired by creation of Hans Rudolf Giger. The same artist who was responsible of visual part of Alien movie. Inside there is a professional space designed to filmmakers. If you search a scenery for your movie or music video it can be a perfect spot! Unfortunately they did not respond for my email, so I cannot tell you how to visit it. Maybe if you email by yourself you will be more lucky. There is a possibility to visit during open days. Studio is located 38 km from Cracow in Alvernia. You can get there only by car.

Address: Ferdynanda Wspaniałego 1, 32-566 Alwernia Telefon: 12 344 40 00

A part of  the ghetto’s wall

Grey, high, impossible to jump. A view of  part of the wall gives us imagination how difficult was get out of the ghetto.

The Nife

In medieval times the penalty for many crimes was cutting of ears and noses! Nasty! But how to push citizens to obeisance? Well, Cracow’s authorities practiced their own way of  disciplining. They decided to hang a cutting nife in a public space! I doubt that it worked, because the knife itself was stolen many times… You can see it hanging outside of Sukiennice’s building on the side of Sienna Street.

Walenty Badylak’s Well

‘He couldn’t live in lie, he died for truth.’ Probably many time you passed by Market Square and you haven’t seen this tragic place. There is the well, standing alone. This well was a witness of a terrible thing. In 1980 ex soldier of AK Walenty Badylak burnt himself in protest of Crime in Katyń. Today this event is commemorated by the memorial plaque. The well is situated in the Market Square on the side of Slawkowska Street near to Havelka.

Discover the secrets of shelters under the Nowa Huta

http://www.schronywnowejhucie.pl/en/

Jazz Rock Cafe

As in Cracow there is no shortage of good bars to visit, so let search for the darkest one! Scary masks, voodoo dolls –  it is just a part of the dark decor of Jazz Rock. I don’t recommend beer for 1 euro, as next day I felt so bad that you cannot imagine.

Adres: Sławkowska 12, 31-000 Kraków Telefon: 511 433 506

The Stained Glass Museum

To finish our trip I propose something really nice and beautiful. The Stained Glass Museum is not only museum, it’s also the workshop. We can not only see wonderfull stained glasses but also meet the artisans  and see how they create these miracles. Moreover there is a possibility to participate in workshops and make our own stained glass. Amazing souvenir from Cracow, isn’t it?