Kraków Gate, Lublin

The Kraków Gate is the emblem of Lublin, a tall medieval brick tower that once formed the main western entrance through the city walls toward Kraków. Built in the 14th century after a Tatar raid, it was later heightened and crowned with a Baroque cupola and a whitewashed upper storey. The gate now houses a museum of the city's history, and its silhouette appears on countless local souvenirs. Standing between the Old Town and the modern centre, it marks the threshold into the atmospheric maze of narrow historic streets beyond.