Deep beneath the Wawel Hill in Krakow, in caves called the Dragon's Den, a royal gathering is said to take place every Christmas Eve. All the former kings who once ruled Poland meet for a spooky reunion to discuss the situation in their country.
Beneath the historic Wawel Castle in Krakow, the former capital of Poland, there is a labyrinth of caves called the Dragon's Den, or Dragon's Den. This legendary limestone cave leading to the banks of the Vistula River, steeped in myth and history, is believed to be the habitat of the fearsome Wawel Dragon.
But a more ghostly tale is woven through the stone corridors of this eerie underground world stretching for 276 meters: the spirits of Polish kings are said to gather here on Christmas Eve, shrouded in an ethereal glow and shrouded in mystery.
Wawel Royal Castle
Castle The Wawel Royal Castle on a limestone outcrop of Wawel Hill is a fortified structure founded on the orders of King Casimir III the Great, who reigned in the 14th century, although some of the oldest buildings date back to 970. Over the centuries, the building has grown and today has representations of almost all European styles dating back to the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque.
The castle was the residence of Polish kings for centuries, and at its peak it was the seat of one of the most essential countries in Europe, and today it is the 20th most visited art museum in the world. Now there are no kings in Poland except those from history who are said to haunt the Dragon's Den, where a legendary dragon supposedly lived centuries ago.
The legend of the Wawel Dragon
The legend of the Wawel Dragon, Wawelsk Dragonand, dating back to the early Middle Ages, when King Krak founded Krakow, when the beast was said to have terrorized the local population, demanding tribute in the form of cattle and girls. The king's son managed to stop the dragon by feeding it sheep filled with sulfur.
However, the younger prince wanted to take credit for this and killed his brother. However, he was exiled and the kingdom was given to Princess Wanda. The oldest written mention of this story comes from a 12th-century work by Wincenty Kadłubek Chronicle of Polesbut the legend has had many adaptations.
Over the years, the legends changed, sometimes triggered by the king himself. However, the most commonly told legend tells how the dragon died at the hands of a clever shoemaker or cobbler named Krak, who fed him to a sheep filled with sulfur. He had to drink gallons of water from the Vistula River until the explosion. Krak then married the princess and became king. He built his castle on top of a hill and the dragon's former lair. Creation's fiery end began the Dragon's Den's sinister reputation, which would only grow over time.
Royal ghosts of Wawel
Wawel Castle has long been the seat of the Polish royal family, hosting kings and queens, their courts and their secrets. It is said that the spirits of these monarchs, unable to rest peacefully in their royal tombs, are drawn to the Dragon's Den on the holiest night of the year. The entrance to the Dragon's Den is located next to the Thieves' Tower, at the southwestern end of the castle grounds.
There are many strange rumors circulating about what really lies in these caves. King Casimir of the 11th claims that as a child he entered one of the tunnels and found a glowing stone containing magical energy that protected Krakow from invasion and harm.
It is also worth noting that within the cave systems there were both taverns and brothels which the kings frequented through hidden passages. So who really knows what the kings really come back to inside the cave for.
But the strangest haunted rumor is definitely the annual Christmas tradition that was started by the ghost of the kings of elderly when everyone gathered here on Christmas Eve
A spooky Christmas gathering in the Dragon's Den
On Christmas Eve, the time when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is believed to be at its thinnest, the cave comes alive with spiritual activity. As the clock strikes midnight, ghostly figures of Poland's former rulers emerge from the shadows, gathering in a cave for a macabre meeting. Dressed in royal attire, these specters carry the weight of centuries of history, their clear forms shimmering in the dim lithe of the cave.
When the bell rings, the ringing wakes up a pair of enchanted knights who leave the cave and go to the castle. They knock on the door of the chamber beneath the castle to wake up King Bolesław the Brave, the first crowned king of Poland. He then takes the throne for one night only and leads the assembled council of dead kings.
Often recognizable among the spectral gathering is the imposing figure of King Casimir III the Great. Known for his enormous contributions to Polish law and infrastructure, his ghostly presence commands respect even in death. Another recurrent revelation is King Sigismund III Vasa, during whose reign the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth reached its apogee. Their ghosts, like the ghosts of other monarchs, gather to tell of their deeds, triumphs and regrets.
Christmas Eve spectacle
The ghosts of Polish kings, gathering on Christmas Eve in the Dragon's Den, movingly remind us of the country's luxurious and turbulent history. Their ghostly gathering, shrouded in mystery and bathed in the glow of the supernatural, continues to captivate the imaginations of those who hear the tale. Above Wawel Cathedral, where the burial place of at least 16 different kings is located, dragon bones have been hanging at the entrance since the 16th century. Legend has it that if they ever break or fall, Kraków will fall.
Reference:
dragon's cave and other curiosities of Wawel Castle
Dragon's Cave – Wawel Royal Castle – official website – tickets, information, reservations
Image Source: Pixabay.com
