Wawel Palace in Krakow (detail)

The Gothic Wawel Castle in Krakow was built by order of Casimir III the Great and consists of a number of structures around a central courtyard. In the 14th century, it was rebuilt for Jagiello and Jadwiga.
The Royal Residence covers an area of 7,040 m² with 71 exhibition halls. The castle has been rebuilt and enlarged several times over the centuries. Numerous fires, looting and assaults by foreign troops led to a mixture of architectural styles. The first buildings were in the 11th century.