This royal castle was erected on the limestone Wawel Hill in Krakow, on the left bank of the Vistula River. For several centuries it was the main seat of Polish kings. It is also one of the most beautiful Renaissance monuments in Europe. The Wawel Hill together with the royal castle are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Mieszko I, the first historical ruler of Poland, had one of his seats here. After the capital was moved from Gniezno to Kraków in 1039, Wawel became the main seat of successive Polish kings. The existing buildings were expanded to form a defensive castle. Over the years, sacral buildings, towers and defensive walls were built. Successive kings developed their estate so that over time Wawel became one of the most magnificent royal residences in Central Europe. Currently, the Wawel Castle is also one of the most important museums in Poland. There you can admire the richly decorated royal chambers, the exhibition of weapons and war trophies located in the Armory or the jewels of the Crown Treasury. The most valuable exhibits include Renaissance tapestries - wall-mounted fabrics resembling paintings, made around 1550 during the reign of Sigismund Augustus. Also unique is the 13th-century coronation sword of Polish kings, the so-called Szczerbiec. The interiors of the castle are also decorated with Renaissance Italian paintings and rich collections of Eastern art.