Zinar Castle

One of the oldest churches in Krakow impresses with its austere Romanesque body, with which the baroque spiers of the towers contrast with it. Inside, you will be surprised by the rich, baroque and rococo furnishings.

Built in the 11th century, one of the oldest churches in Krakow, it delights with its austere Romanesque body, contrasted with the baroque spiers of the towers added in the 17th century. The interior is also baroque in character.

In the first centuries of its existence, the Church of St. Andrew, in addition to its sacred functions, it also played the role of a fortress. It was even called the lower castle - in contrast to the upper castle standing nearby on Wawel. The building has thick, stone walls that are difficult to cross, and in their lower part there are arrowslits that used to be used by archers. Two octagonal towers with double, arcaded windows grow out of the main body. According to the 15th-century chronicler Jan Długosz, the fortified building resisted the Tatar invasion in 1241, providing shelter to the inhabitants of the then-destroyed city.

In the 14th century, the church was handed over to the congregation of Poor Clares, for whom the adjoining monastery was erected. A strict religious rule orders the nuns to contemplate life and forbid contact with the world.

Apparently, a mysterious figure of an old woman in prayer sometimes appears in the church choir... This is sister Casilda - a nun who died leaving a debt owed to a certain merchant to help poor relatives. She regained peace after her death only when she managed to convince a wealthy aristocrat to pay her debt. The grateful sister promised to pray for her benefactor.

In the monastery treasury, the Poor Clares keep valuable relics, including medieval reliquaries and nativity figurines from the beginning of the 14th century, probably donated by Elżbieta Łokietkówna, sister of King Casimir the Great.