Krakow´s dark side
Welcome to Krakow´s dark side, the exploration of Krakow´s macabre stories…
Our guide greets us as the bell tower of St. Mary strikes 8PM. The city square flickers in spooky lights.
I managed to get my friend Gro our of her comfort sone and go exploring the rather grim side of the city. I love to learn the different side to any story and a few month´s back I did the same to my own hometown Stavanger. Very educational.
Armed with good shoes and warm jackets the guide gathers the small group and we head on our way through Old town Krakow. Our guide does a really good job storytelling the gruesome stories of Krakow´s dark side. We start by stopping at the doorstep of a smaller church. Karol Kot a real life vampire from the 1960´s roamed the streets for a period of two years randomly killing younger and elder people. The last victim was found alive at the very doorstep we now stand and tells the police of Karol. Standing there watching her life fade and licking his bloody knive. Hence the name The vampire of Krakow.
The old folklore of Poland includes the vampires and underneath the old square you can even find a real life vampire grave.
Every big city has its serial killer of two. Krakow has several.. Our guide tells a story of a former Mafioso killing his victims in cold blod using both poison and guns.
And even more chilling last one (supposedly) dating back to 1998, still out there! We stop outside Krakow´s University and our guide tells the story of young Katzja who disappears in november of 98 in her first year of study. Months go by and nothing new comes up on this young girl. And despise the constant calls from her mom the police set the case as a runaway.
Some time in spring the university starts renovating the basement of an old part of school and there uncovers a chilling sight. A vest made of human skin. The police uncovers parts of human bones and they belong to young Katzja. This “recent” murder case is still open and unsolved but our guide has her own theories. The killer must be a man with good knowledge of both the school grounds and surgery… Could a professor be at fault? No one knows, but every year there is several missing cases in Krakow. And who knows where they are?
The night is almost at an end but it would´t be complete without a love story. Krakow´s dark side needs an ghost too.
King Kasimir founded Poland as we know it today. The story of Kasimir and his lover the jewish girl Esther are many and you will even find a few written down in books. Esther was the King´s great love and when she dies he mourned her death deeply. Calls upon a sorcerer to bring her back. Young Esthers eyes and heart get´s cut out and put in a wooden box for the King to hold. And every night she comes for her King.
Fast forward to today and Esther still roams between the Jewish district and the Castle Wavel looking for her eyes and heart. Without it she can´t find peace. Visiting Wavel castle? you may meet upon her
And so the night has come to an end. We learned so many other stories. Some fun facts and many more Macabre ones. The hour and half flew by. It is a great way to get to know the city a bit more, local guides telling you of Krakow´s dark side.
Have you ever been on one and would you consider joining in?