Skałka Sanctuary
Sanktuarium na Skałce
The site of St. Stanislaus's martyrdom. Beneath a Baroque church on the Vistula is the Crypt of Merit, where Polish cultural figures are buried.
'Skałka' means 'little rock'. According to tradition, in 1079 Stanislaus, Bishop of Kraków, was killed here by King Bolesław II. He was later venerated as the patron saint of Poland. The present church is a Baroque building constructed by the Paulines in the 18th century, and the courtyard contains a holy well and a statue of the saint. Beneath the church, the Crypt of Merit holds the graves of notable figures, including the historian Jan Długosz, the painter Stanisław Wyspiański and Nobel laureate Czesław Miłosz. The church is free, and the crypt charges a small fee. It is in the northwest corner of Kazimierz and can be walked together with Wawel Castle and the Jewish Quarter.
Opening hours
Church open by day; catacombs approx. 09:00–17:00 (visits paused during Mass)
Nearby sights
- Wawel Castle & Cathedral
- Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology
- Kazimierz
- Church of Saints Peter and Paul
- Remuh Synagogue & Old Jewish Cemetery
- Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
- Old Synagogue
- Main Market Square & Cloth Hall