Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Cracow
CRACOW, the old capital of Poland;
in 1815-1846 capital of a republic of the
same name later forming part of
Austrian Galicia; is on the left bank of the
Vistula, where it becomes navigable, and
consists of Cracow proper, or the old
city, and several suburbs. It is the see
of a bishop, is well built and regularly

fortified. The cathedral, a fine old Gothic
edifice, contains monuments of many
Polish kings, of Kosciusko, etc. The
university was founded in 1364, but gradually
fell into decay, and was reorganized
in 1817. It has a library of 300,000
volumes. Three miles from the city is
a hill 65 feet high thrown up in 1820-1823
in honor of Kosciusko. In November,
1914, the Russians reached the outer line
of forts, but were repulsed by Austrian
forces. The region around the city was
the scene for concentrating German-Austrian
armies for Mackensen's drive,
which resulted in the reconquest of nearly
all of Galicia. As a result of the World
War Cracow became a part of the new
republic of ../Poland/ (q. v.). Pop. about
180,000.