Jadwiga King of Poland

Jadwiga (Hedwig) was crowned King of Poland in 1385 at the tender age of 11 and remained King until she married Jagiello, Grand Duke of Lithuania.[1]

Jadwiga was the youngest daughter of Louis I of Hungary and of Elizabeth of Bosnia. Jadwiga was descended from the House of Piast, the ancient native Polish dynasty on both her mother's and her father's side. Her paternal grandmother Elizabeth of Poland, Queen of Hungary was the daughter of King Władysław I, the Elbow-high (the short), who had reunited Poland in 1320.

Jadwiga died at age 24 in 1399 giving birth to a daughter who also died. She is buried in the Cathedral of St. Stanislaw and Wacław at Wawel Castle in Krakow.

When I took this photo, I noticed that a dog lies at her feet and is part of her sarcophagus. This sleeping dog is a symbol of fidelity. She is buried among the royal tombs where most of the Polish Kings lie in rest.  

Some of these photos are not mine but a few of them are which were taken inside the Cathedral at Wawel Castle. I was not sure that I was allowed to take photos there but I snuck in a few.

You notice, it is slightly slanted, it is one of my photos.  This was King Wladyslaw, the short.  I noticed that almost all of the kings have little endearments with their titles. This would have been Jadwiga's great grandfather.

[1] Information and some photos from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jadwiga of Poland

 Vasa Chapel in Wawel Cathedral

Zygmunt 1, the Old

Warnenczyk

Apparently, there is a dragon's lair underneath the castle, which I missed and I also missed the staterooms, which one have heads on the ceiling.

Old Town Krakow

Linking to Shadow Shot Sunday 2

Old town Krakow

St. Florian's Gate,  built in 1307. Krakow's royal route begins at this gate and winds through the Old City to Wawel Castle.

Krakow Barbican - this is the original fort built in 1498, one of three in Europe that is still standing.

Looking inside the Barbican

Originally, the barbican was attached to the city wall.

 This is what the barbican looked like when it had a moat.

 Carriage rides within Old Town Krakow.

 Another gate

 Music at the entrance to the Old Town

City wall interior.

Utah Lake and the Rocky Mountains

Linking to Friday My Town Shootout

and Skywatch Friday

I am surrounded by mountains. I feel lost without them and I get my bearings of north, south, east and west from them. This stunning view is on the west side of the valley from where I live looking east over Utah Lake at the rockies. I went to a Luau that evening and was treated to some Island dancing.

I am very rarely on this side of the lake so was caught with awe and wonder at this extraordinary view.

Later that same evening, the moon popped out.

Awesome Poland

Linking to:

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday - Create with Joy

Good Fences

 Train - Eastern Poland

Tram - Krakow

Bridge over Vistula - Warsaw

Krakow Paddle Boats

Fenced ramp

Wawel Castle - Krakow, Poland

Linking to Rubbish Tuesday

and Our WORLD TUESDAY

Wawel fire-spitting dragon. Early medieval legends tell stories of a dreadful dragon that lived in a cave on Wawel Hill, about his slayer Krakus and about the daughter Wanda who drowned herself in the Vistula rather than marry a German knight.

Wawel Castle on the Vistula River

 It was definitely a big hill to climb up to the castle especially on a hot day.

 Gates were open. For those with special permission, the barriers in the middle of the driveway lower when cars pass through.

Wawel grounds

Original footings of older buildings. 

Reflections in Southern Poland

Linking to weekend Reflections

 Reflections in Czestochowa

 Younger cousins, my English interpreters - reflections in window

 Reflections in Old Town Krakow

Vistual River - Krakow

Krakow Fences

Linking to Good Fences

 Blue fences in Krakow, Poland

 Niebieski Art Hotel (niebieski means blue in Polish). This is where I stayed during my visit to Krakow.

 Interior of Wawel Castle courtyard.  The Polish kings and their families are buried in the Wavel Cathedral. 

Restoration of the courtyard is an ongoing project.

The only regret was that I was too late to view an original DaVinci painting of the Lady with Ermine.  I missed the last viewing by about a half hour.