Poland's old city Cracow expected to become sister city of Yogyakarta

Oei Eng Goan, The Jakarta Post, Cracow

As a country that has a myriad of historical relics and dozens of nature reserves, Poland is indeed an attractive land for tourists.

Poland's old city of Cracow (also spelled Krakow), its Wieliczka Salt Mine and Bialowieska Forest are listed in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's record of world heritage sites.

Cracow, lying on the Wisla River in south central Poland and about a three-hour journey by train from the capital Warsaw, is a historic city which maintains its reputation as the center of Polish culture and national identity as well as home to the prestigious Jagiellonian University and other scientific and cultural institutes.

Impressed by the city's reputation and committed to further strengthening bilateral ties, Indonesian Ambassador to Poland, Koko Wijanarko, discussed with the Mayor of Cracow, Andrzej Golas, the possibility of making Cracow the sister city of Yogyakarta, an ancient Javanese city that houses a wealth of Indonesia's cultural heritage and the oldest institute of higher learning in Indonesia state-run Gadjah Mada University.

"There are many similarities between the two cities and Mr. Golas has responded well to the idea," Ambassador Koko told the visiting Indonesian journalists in Warsaw recently.

Both Cracow and Yogyakarta were formerly the nations' capitals and to this date the two cities have maintained their status as the seat of learning. While Cracow is dubbed as "a city of one hundred thousand university students", Yogyakarta is known as "a college town" with its numerous higher learning institutions covering a wide range of studies, from music and the fine arts to high technology and nuclear science.

Like Cracow's imposing Wawel Hill and Royal Castle, once the abode of Polish kings and queens, which are open to visitors, Yogyakarta's kraton, the residence of the present Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, is open to both foreign and local tourists.

Exchange visits by officials of the two cities will be conducted in the near future, an official of the Cracow municipality told The Jakarta Post.

A native of Cracow, when asked what made her feel proud of her home town, replied: "Some cities and places in the world possess their own soul, but Cracow has its own soul, a very unique one."

A little of that uniqueness can be seen when one strolls around the city's main square where the Cloth Hall stands and witnesses how diverse cultures of other European countries coexist in harmony in Cracow. Russian, German and Czech street dancers and traveling musicians enliven the square with their performances. Passersby who enjoy the entertainment willingly throw a zloty (US$0.25) or two into the baskets laid in front of the performers.

The Mariacki (St. Mary's) Church, which stands opposite the Cloth Hall, reminds passersby that time is fleeting by, not by the chiming of its huge bells but with the sound of melodious trumpets that add to the peaceful yet lively environs of Cracow's main square, the largest city square in Europe in medieval times.

St. Mary's Church was once administered by Bishop Karol Wojtyla, now known as Pope John Paul II.

Adding life to the square for pedestrians during the day are hundreds of pigeons -- some strutting, some pecking crumbs of bread -- that flock to one side of the square where a row of cafes and restaurants stand.

Another claim to fame of Cracow, many agree, is the fact that it was in this city that the great Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) disclosed the truth about the motion of the heavenly bodies: that the earth is a moving planet which revolves around the sun, correcting the centuries-old erroneous concept that the earth was static and was the center of the universe!

At the invitation of the Polish Embassy in Jakarta, three Indonesian journalists visited Poland recently to witness the country's development and tourist attractions. The visit was jointly sponsored by the Indonesian Embassy in Warsaw and the national carrier, Garuda Indonesia.