Kraków Gate

Krakowska Gate is one of the distinctive natural rock gates of Ojców National Park, located in the Prądnik Valley. Its name refers to the historic trade route connecting Kraków with Silesia. In 1928, a commemorative plaque related to the construction of a new road was placed on the gate, but due to protests from naturalists, it was removed in 1935. Architecturally, Krakowska Gate stands out with its tall, approximately 15-meter-high columns made of Jurassic limestone, formed as a result of erosion, karst processes, and weathering. The left column is taller than the right one, and inside it, there is an image of the Virgin Mary of Częstochowa. Around the gate, xerothermic grassland grows, dominated by Festuca pallens and colonies of lichens in various colors. In the past, there was a spring nearby that drained the valley, known as the Spring of Love. Krakowska Gate inspired the poetry of Józef Cyra, who immortalized it in his "Ojców Sonnets." Additionally, in 1989, a new species of snail was discovered in the area – the Ojców inconspicuous snail (Punctum pygmaeum), listed in the Polish Red Data Book of Animals. The area features various hiking trails, including the red Eagle Nests Trail and the blue Jurassic Strongholds Trail, making it an attractive destination for tourists and nature enthusiasts.