Wawel Cathedral and Sigismund Bell

Wawel Cathedral, at Wawel 3 on Wawel Hill in Krakow, Poland, is the country's coronation church and royal necropolis. Polish kings were crowned here for centuries, and many monarchs, bishops and national figures are buried in its crypts and chapels. The Gothic cathedral is crowded with side chapels from different eras, the most photographed being the gilded-domed Sigismund Chapel, a landmark of Renaissance architecture in Poland. A single ticket covers the Royal Tombs, the Cathedral Museum and the climb up the tower to the Sigismund Bell, cast in 1520 and counted among the largest historic bells in Poland. The climb is by steep, narrow wooden stairs and passes the belfry's timber frame, finishing at the bell and at windows with views over the Old Town and the Vistula. The museum displays liturgical vessels, vestments and royal treasures. Photography inside the cathedral is generally restricted, so the best vantage points for pictures are the courtyard outside and the tower windows. A visit usually takes one to one and a half hours, longer if queues form at the tower. Cathedral tickets are sold at the cathedral's own ticket office, not at the castle, and the cathedral closes to sightseeing during services, so hours vary by season. Early morning is best, since tour groups from the castle fill the nave and the tower stairs from late morning, and the narrow climb can force waits at the busiest times. Quiet weekday mornings outside the summer season offer the calmest conditions. Modest dress is expected because the cathedral remains an active place of worship. It pairs naturally with the nearby Wawel Royal Castle, which is ticketed separately.