fun bits of history

Jageillonian was founded in 1364 by this Pagan king of Lithuania.  It was start by a different king, but Mista J was the main one.  Originally, when the king died, there was a lot of unrest, so they ended up crowning an 11 year old princess 'King'.  She was the King, and had all the kingly duties that came with that rank. When it came time to marry Mista J, she prayed because she (and the whole damn country, for that matter) was terrified of this pagan guy.  But it turned out that he was super cultured and did a lot to help the kingdom.  He even invited Jews/Orthodox/Saracens to study and opened up the doors wider than most other places.   It's the second oldest university, edhed out by Prague by only a few years, and I have it on good authority that even though most europeans might not say it, there is a quiet pride in those who go here.  COPERNICUS WHEN HERE. AND POPE JEAN PAUL II.  Whose coolness as pope rivals today's Pope Francis.

I would love to show you pictures of his sarcophagus, but they do not allow pictures inside of the royal chapel.

This is Saint Florian. 

He is not Polish. 

The funny bit about this is that the City of Krakow was found pretty damn early.  (I think they said 40AD but idk) and obviously this is too early to really have a saint.  But when they became religiously important (and therefore ended up on Rome's map), it was a huge deal that they didn't have a saint.  So they wrote the Pope (and there may have been a fire of some sort, because of the mongols invading and burning the place down three times) and tbe pope said "mmkay. Saint Florian.  Patron Saint of FireFighters.)

The coolest thing about this (according to me) is that the only king in the histoey of Poland to earn the nickname/suffix "the great" came up with a solution to the mongols.  It was said that King Casmir was born into a wooden Krakow, and when he died, it was stone. 

Major infrastructure reconstruction and the beginning of the University that opened its doors to all types?  Yes please.