Wanda Mound
ul. Ujastek Mogilski
One of the still visible proofs of the most ancient human presence in the area, the mound was probably raised in the 7th or the 8th century AD, and a legend holds that it is the resting place of Wanda, daughter of the founder of Kraków.
One of the oldest surviving proofs of the presence of humans in the area, the 14 m (47 ft) tall Wanda Mound stands close to a wall enclosing steel mills, on the highest hill in the vicinity. It is usually dated to the 7th or 8th century AD, and according to legend it is the grave of Wanda. Who was Princess Wanda, and why was she honoured with such a mound? Legend holds that she was a daughter of the founder of Kraków, King (or Duke) Krak or Krakus. Having rejected the hand of a German ruler, she cast herself into the waves of the Vistula, so as not to risk exposing her subjects to the wrath of the frustrated suitor. The grave marks the place where her body was fished out from the river.
Other reasons for constructing the mound include defensive, ritual, and also astronomical factors. In the last case, the mounds of Wanda and Krak are believed to be an element of the Celtic calendar system.
Since 1890 the mound has been crowned with a marble sculpture of an eagle designed by the 19th-century painter Jan Matejko.
Generally accessible, the mound stands by ulica Ujastek Mogilski. It can be reached by the No. 21 and 22 trams to the Kopiec Wandy stop.