Our City - 750th Anniversary of Krakow Foundation

"Cracovia totius Poloniae urbs celeberrima" meaning: "Krakow, the city most well-know in all of Poland" in the year 2007 will be celebrating its 750th anniversary of receiving Magdeburg rights. Of course, this does not mean that Krakow was not founded until the 13th century. The city had existed for much longer. If we are to believe chronicle writers, sometime around the year 700, King Krak collaborating in a joint effort with a shoemaker, Skub alias Skuba, killed a dragon and founded Krakow.

The town received a new law in 1257. Also, the Square was set out at the same time, whereas the street layout within the Planty area has been maintained till this day. According to contemporary historians, the events were as follows:

The Krakow Duke, Boleslaus the Bashful, together with his mother Grzymislava, and his wife Kunegunda issued a location document for the city of Krakow on 5th June 1257, based on the so-called German Law. At that time, this law was the basic model for town organisation, both for already existing towns as well as new ones. A key role in the location process were agreements signed by the owners of land on which towns existed or were to be founded in cooperation with the so-called 'zasadźca' (seater or setter) responsible for organising the town. His main task was to lodge a specified number of people who were supposed to take up crafts or trade. An important element of the location agreement was setting out the main square, i.e. the market and street layout. The 'seater' later became the town 'sołtys' (administrator) or 'wójt' (chief officer of a group of villages) enjoying numerous privileges that generated a significant income. The town colony organised in this manner had its town council at the head of which stood the mayor or provost and town jury serving as a court.

Krakow at the time of location was already an important centre recognised as the bishopric capital from the year 1000, and from 1040 as the main seat of a ruler. As time passed, the city played an increasing role not only in politics, but also in the area of ecclesiastical and economic development. According to the location document issued by Duke Boleslaus the Bashful in 1257, a new town layout was prepared setting out the Square and its bordering streets. The organisers of the new town were three Silesian chief officers of village groups who settled colonists, mainly from Germany, in Krakow. For this, the officers were richly rewarded. The new inhabitants of Krakow were granted a 6-year period of grace called 'wolnizna' releasing them from the obligation to pay rents and taxes, thus allowing them to settle down easier in the new place. They were also released from paying customs fees during a 10-year period. In compliance with the principles of German Law, the city of Krakow was to employ the Magdeburg Law, from then on, called the Magdeburg Weichbild.

The Magdeburg Law proved to be more permanent and was obligatory in Krakow until 1791. The location on Magdebur Law can be compared with what took place in Poland on 1st May 2004. In 1257 Krakow became a member of the great family of European cities and in 2004 Poland became a member state of the European Community.

In 2007, 750 years will pass from the date of the location on Magdeburg Law. The main jubilee celebrations will take place in 2007.

Let us invite all citizens and guest of our City to participate in a common celebration.