Between the Walls. Wawel Underground

The history of archaeological work can be traced back to the post-war era and the first surveys carried out by Gabriel Leńczyk on the site of the demolished Austrian convalescent hospital. The surveys and the subsequent digs, which spanned decades, followed by engineering and conservation work have led to the discovery and creation of a space where the traces of historic defensive architecture uncovered by archaeologists overlap to create an unusual and unique picture of the history of fortifications from the 11th to the 19th centuries. The history of Wawel Castle's walls and fortifications are the key theme, which starts the underground journey. It takes visitors between the historic walls, emerging from the dark thanks to lighting and modern media. The first wooden and earthen rampart, the gate leading to the hill with a defensive tower, the Gothic walls made of stone... The surviving fragments, along with elements of medieval weaponry, tell the story of the defence of the Wawel Castle.

The path then leads directly over the limestone rock, over the chambers of the Dragon's Den. The walls tell the story of the hill itself, of ammonites and sponges floating in the warm sea, and of the creation of the cave, before moving on to Poland's most famous legend. The story of the Wawel Dragon in the medieval record of Wincenty Kadlubek also appears as part of the exhibition. There was no shoemaker in the oldest version of the famous legend, but a fierce battle - first with a monster, which is referred to as the Whole-Eater, and then against each other, fought by two brothers, the sons of King Krakus.

The story of the zwinger and its various contexts are highlighted using contemporary visual techniques, employed for the first time in the Wawel Museum's history on such a large scale. The two parts of the reserve are linked by a corridor, showcasing the story of the archaeological surveys carried out in the zwinger, featuring the most valuable artefacts discovered in the area.