PROGRAMME
USEFUL NUMBERS
Valeria
0044 7596389623
Prof CP Kyriacou
0044 7855499479
Prof E Pyza
0048 501376781
Milena
0048 600611903
[email protected]
ACCOMODATION
All participants will stay in Przegorzaly Guesthouse of the Jagiellonian University.
It is located 5 km away from the centre of Kracow and 7 km from the Balice Airport. Located
on a hill, in the beautiful secluded spot of the Wolski Woods, it is an ideal place for both
work and relaxation. For walkers and cyclists there are numerous woodland trails to the
monastery of the Camaldolese Order, the Jagiellonian University Observatory in Bielany, the
mounds of Marshal Piłsudski and Tadeusz Kościuszko as well as to Cracow Zoological Garden.
On the nearby hillside there is a nature reserve.
All the rooms have well equipped bathrooms with toilets. There is WiFi access in the whole
building.
Address:
Przegorzały Guesthouse
of Jagiellonian University
ul. Jodłowa 13
30-252 Kraków
phone: 0048 12 429 71 15
HOW TO GET THERE
BY TAXI:
It takes 12 minutes (10.6 km) to travel from the airport to Przegorzały UJ. Price: about 40
PLN (€ 9.50).
Cheapest taxi companies:
- iCAR 0048 12 653 55 55 (you can book your taxi in advance here http://icarauto.pl/)
- taxi Barbakan 0048 12 196 61
BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT:
1) From the Balice Airport to the city center:
There is a train station located near the passenger terminal, at the rear of the multistorey car park. Travelling by train takes about 17 minutes. Connection every 30 min.
Price: Kraków Airport - Kraków Main Train Station: 8.00 PLN (€ 1.9)
Where to buy a ticket:
- passenger terminal - arrivals hall, level 0 (ticket machine)
- train station, level 1 (ticket machine)
- train (ticket machine or train conductor on board). Payment in cash or with
credit/debit cards
Current timetable available here:
http://www.malopolskiekoleje.pl/index.php/pierwsza-strona
2) From main train/bus station to Przegorzały (30-40 min):
Option 1:
Tram 2 from Main Station (Dworzec Główny) to Salwator, then:
- From Salwator to Przegorzały UJ - bus 409, or
- From Salwator to Zaskale (5 min walk) - bus 109, 209, 239, 259
Option 2:
From Main Station to Cracovia - tram 20 or bus 124, 424, 502, then
from Cracovia to Przegorzały UJ - bus 409
Where to buy a ticket:
- On the bus/tram stop (ticket machine – only coins)
- Inside the bus/tram (ticket machine - only coins)
Price: 2 x 3.8 PLN (€ 1.8 for one journey), you need to validate ticket on board
OTHER LOCATIONS
MEALS

Meals will be served at the guesthouse except:
o Monday night dinner, which will be served at the Przegorzaly Castle, 5
minutes walk from the guesthouse
o Friday night dinner, which will be in Krakow city center
LECTURES

Lectures will be held in the room 1.12 in the Castle.
WORKSHOPS


Workshops will be held in the room 1.12 in the Castle.
Supervisory meetings will be held in rooms A-D in the Guesthouse.
OVERALL SCHEDULE
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
12-Sep
13-Sep
14-Sep
15-Sep
16-Sep
17-Sep
Evening
Students talks
Review session I
Key note lecture
Supervisory Meetings
Excursion to the
Wieliczka Salt Mine (and
dinner)
C5 (II) Career planning
T8 Life history traits
and climate change
Research seminar
C5 (I)
Review session II
C6 Science policy within
the EC and grant writing
Travelling
Afternoon
Travelling
Morning
MONDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER
Arrival and check in at the Guesthouse
19:00 Dinner at the Przegorzały Castle
th
TUESDAY 13 SEPTEMBER
Session 1: Clock entrainment (Room 1.12, Castle)
Chair: Elena Dalla Benetta
09:00-09:30
Sanne Roessingh
The TRP channel pyrexia synchronizes the
Drosophila circadian clock to temperature cycles
09:30-10:00
Faredin Alejevski
Synchronizing the circadian clock to day-night
cycles through the visual system
10:00-10:30
Rossana Serpe
Circadian Control of Sleep: a role for a subset of
Dorsal Clock Neurons in Drosophila
melanogaster sleep behavior
10:30-11:00
Praveena Pentakota
Role of Na/K-ATPase α-subunit in cell-specific
circadian plasticity in the Drosophila visual system
11:00-11:30
Coffee break
Session 2: Diapause and the clock
Chair: Faredin Alejevski
11:30-12:00
Dora Nagy
Diapause and neuropeptides
12:00-12:30
Ane Martin Anduaga
Diapause and the clock in D. melanogaster
12:30-13:30
Lunch (Guesthouse)
Session 3: Natural variation in Nasonia
Chair: Enrico Bertolini
14:00-14:30
Theresa Flößner
Differences of circadian light response of Nasonia
wasps from different latitudes
14:30-15:00
Marcela Buricova
Circadian and photoperiodic behavioural response
of Nasonia vitripennis
15:00-15:30
Elena dalla Benetta
Genetics characterization of seasonal, daily and
ultradian rhythms in Nasonia vitripennis
15:30-16:00
Coffee break
Session 4: Non-model organisms
Chair: Ane Martin Anduaga
16:00-16:30
Enrico Bertolini
The circadian clock in the olive fly Bactrocera
oleae
16:30-17:00
Lenka Chodáková
Connection of circadian and photoperiodic clocks
in the linden bug, Pyrrhocoris apterus
17:00-18:00
18:00-19:00
19:30-21:00
PLENARY LECTURE: Jacek Jaworski – Neuroplasticity
Collective review session I led by Eran Tauber
Dinner
WEDNESDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER
Committees (Rooms A-D, Guesthouse )
09:00-09:30
Graduate committee
CHAIR: Ane Martin Anduaga
09:30-10:00
Steering committee
Grad reps: L Chodakova, R Serpe, D Nagy, J Prodic
10:00-10:30
Supervisory meeting
SLOT1
ESR5 Lenka Chodáková, Dolezel, Kyriacou
(Fӧrster)
ESR8 Rossana Serpe, Rouyer, Rosato
ESR12 Theresa Flößner, VDZande (Hut), Tauber
(Koukidou)
10:30-11:00
Supervisory meeting
SLOT2
ESR6 Dora Nagy, Costa, Kyriacou, (Fӧrster)
ESR3 Elena Dalla Benetta, Beukeboom, dZande,
Tauber
ESR 11 Praveena Pentakota, Pyza, Rosato
11:00-11:30
Supervisory meeting
SLOT3
ESR1 Ane M Anduaga, Kyriacou, Costa
ESR9 Sanne Roessingh, Rosato (Stanewsky),
Rouyer
ESR4 Marcela Buřičová, Tauber, Beukeboom
11:30-12:00
13:00-14:00
Supervisory meeting
SLOT4
ESR7 Enrico Bertolini, Rosato (Fӧrster), Dolezel
ESR10 Faredin Alejevski, Rouyer, Kyriacou
(Stanewsky)
Lunch (Guesthouse)
Excursion to the Jagiellonian University Museum and
Wieliczka Salt Mine
Dinner in the Salt Mine
A bus will leave from the guesthouse at 14:30
See details at the end of the programme
These times are indicative only. Please arrange a time and location convenient for your
Supervisory meetings. Please be aware that you might have been assigned a new
supervisory meeting due to the absence of some supervisors (in brackets).
THURSDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER
T8. Life histories and climate change (Room 1.12, Castle)
09:00-10:00
10:00-11:00
Paul Schmidt
Photoperiodism
in Drosophila
and
seasonal
adaptation
11:00-11:30
11:30-12:30
Coffee break
Vladimir Kostal
12:30-13:30
Lunch (Guesthouse)
13:30-14:30
David Dolezel
Tools and approaches to study clocks in non-model
insects
14:30-15:30
Magdalena
Markowska
Xenobiotics metabolism and circadian clock – what
we know and what don’t know, lessons from the
insect studies
15:30-16:00
Coffee break
16:00-17:00
Tomasz Skalski
The use of insects in medicine
17:00-18:00
Jan Veenstra
Neuropeptides and neurohormones in insects
18:00-18:30
Coffee break
18:30-19:30
RESEARCH SEMINAR: Paul Taghert - How the fly brain encodes time
19:30-21:00
Dinner
21:00-22:00
Peter Campbell
Insect overwintering in diapause: What sets the
limits of survival at low body temperature?
Perspectives from a career within industry
FRIDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER
C5. Career planning (Room 1.12, Castle)
09:00-10:00
Patrycja Supik, Olga
Frey
Career planning for PhDs
10:00-11:00
Piotr Rapciak
Career planning for PhDs
11:00-11:30
Coffee break
11:30-12:30
Eran Tauber
12:30-13:30
Lunch
Collective Review Session II
C6. Science policy within the EC and grant writing
13:30-14:30
Victoria Hayward
14:30-15:30
H2020 Research Opportunities for Early Career
Researchers
15:30-16:00
Coffee break
16:00-17:00
Małgorzata
Grodzińska-Jurczak
Grant writing
17:00-18:00
Edward Green
My experiences of applying for a Marie Curie
Fellowship in Germany- tips and tricks from a
current Fellow
18:00-late
Dinner in the city center and free time
INVITED SPEAKERS
Professor Jacek Jaworski
Professor Jacek Jaworski is the Head of Laboratory of Molecular
and Cellular Neurobiology in International Institute of Molecular
and Cell Biology in Warsaw from 2005. He is a graduate of the
Department of Biology at Warsaw University (1996). His supervisor
of PhD thesis was professor Leszek Kaczmarek (2001). In 20022005 he had a post doc position in professor Morgan Sheng’s lab
at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in USA. In 2005 he went
back to Poland to form his own team. Professor Jaworski’s areas of
interest are: neurobiology, neuropathology, molecular biology and cell biology. His the most
important research success was determination of the role of kinases (like mTOR) in neuron
development, description of new TOR-dependent mechanisms in neurons and finally
description of the role of dynamic microtubules and their interactions with actin during
structural neuronal plasticity. What is more, professor Jaworski with professor Kaczmarek’s
lab investigated in research which allow better understanding the role of extracellular matrix
in physiology and pathology of nervous system. Current research of his team focus on:
connection between mTOR kinase and intercellular transport and investigation of molecular
basics of neuropathology (epilepsy, tuberous sclerosis) dependent on changed mTOR
activity. Professor Jaworski published already more than 40 papers in high impacted
journals, like J. Neuroscience, Neuron, Nature Neuroscience or PNAS.
Dr. Paul Schmidt
Research interests: As a research group, we are broadly
interested in the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of
populations that experience environmental heterogeneity over
various spatial and temporal scales. We seek to understand
mechanistically how natural selection works in heterogeneous
environments, the context dependency and many constraints on
this process, and how this ultimately produces an adaptive
response. Our research combines extensive sampling of natural
populations and –omics level characterizations, laboratorybased classical and molecular genetics, and experimentation
conducted in both the field and laboratory. Much of our work
is centered on testing the functional significance of identified molecular polymorphism:
establishing concrete links between allelic variation, physiologically mediated performance,
and the differential fitness of genotypes among environments.
Professor Vladimir Koštál
Vladimír Koštál has more than 25 years’ experience in insect
environmental physiology and is the author of more than 75
scientific publications in this field in high impacted journals, like:
PNAS, PloS One or BMC Genomics. His research focuses on diapause
– a central element of life-cycle allowing insects to overcome harsh
seasons and exploit fluctuating resources.
Following a Ph.D. (1991) in insect behavioural ecology, he took up a
position in the group of Insect Ecophysiology at the Institute of
Entomology of the Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences
(BC CAS). In the subsequent decade, he accumulated experience visiting at several renowned
insect laboratories in England, Switzerland, Japan and USA. Currently, he serves as Deputy
Director of the Institute of Entomology BC CAS where he also leads Insect Diapause Lab. He
is a Professor at the Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice,
Czech Republic.
The group of Vladimír Koštál contributed significant evidence for functional involvement of
circadian clock system in the photoperiodic calendar of insects and made important progress
in understanding of molecular, biochemical, and physiological underpinnings of insect
survival at low body temperatures. The knowledge on diapause and overwintering is useful
for modelling insect populations’ responses to climate changes or for development of
cryogenic techniques for storage of biological material.
Dr. Magdalena Markowska
Magdalena Markowska is an assistant professor at University
of Warsaw, where she teaches courses in animal anatomy,
zoology,
animal
physiology,
neurobiology,
neuroendocrinoendocrinology, ecophysiology, chronobiology
and systems biology. She holds Ph.D. degrees in the animal
physiology and neuroendocrinoimmunology. She has initiated
her research under the supervision of professor Krystyna
Skwarlo-Sonta in 1995. Therefore it is not surprising that since
the beginning she dedicated her career to the avian pineal
gland, melatonin and immune system relationships. During her post-doctoral fellowship she
started collaboration with Prof. Margarita Dubocovich from Northwestern University,
Chicago, examining the molecular mechanisms of action of melatonin receptors. Her
research interests include identification and functional analysis of mechanism of avian pineal
gland regulation by immune mediators and the regulation of melatonin receptors function
within the chicken immune system. Currently, her research activities include themes such as
the ecophysiology of aquatic invertebrates. Her work has appeared in various scientific
journals e.g., Journal of Pineal Research, Neuroendocrinology Letters, Developmental and
Comparative Immunology, Hydrobiology.
Professor Jan Veenstra
Jan Veenstra is a Professor of Biology at Bordeaux University in
France. He did his PhD at Agricultural University in Wageningen (The
Netherlands), then he had positions in many recognized laboratories
– in Division of Physiology at Cornell University (NY, USA),
Department of Biological Organic Chemistry at C.S.I.C. (Barcelona,
Spain), Department of Entomology at the University of Arizona
(Tucson, USA). In his research he used different techniques, like:
Histology, electron microscopy, immunohistology, chromatography,
including HPLC pour peptide isolation and amino acid identification,
polyclonal antibody production, quantitative immunoassay
development, electrophysiology, both for epithelial transport and neurophysiology,
biochemistry and molecular biology, sequencing, genomic and cDNA library construction and
cloning, Mmathematical simulation of physiology and bioinfomartic analysis of genomes. His
areas of interest are insect neuropeptides. He studies the morphology of peptidergic
regulatory systems, the structure of the neuropeptides involved, the structure and
organization of their genes, the biochemistry of their production and their physiological
effects and he uses the data obtained from these studies and those obtained from work on
transgenic fruit flies to understand the physiological roles played by insect neuropeptides.
Professor Veenstra published already more than 86 papers in high impacted journals, like
Nature, FEBS Letters, Neuroscience Letters or PNAS.
Professor Paul Taghert
Professor Taghert studies two major questions in circadian
neurobiology using the model system Drosophila. First, he
investigates how circadian timing information is transmitted through
neuronal circuits to regulate daily behavior. He described normal in
vivo activity patterns of the small (150) complement of neuronal
pacemakers in the fly brain that control daily rhythmic locomotor
behavior. Using novel imaging methods in collaboration with Tim
Holy (Neuroscience, WUMS) to measure calcium levels in vivo over
24 hr, he found that different pacemaker groups are active at precise
times of day. He also learned that the neuropeptide PDF secreted by morning oscillators
delays the calcium phase in evening oscillators by many hours. Thus the circadian timing
circuit of the fly brain produces multiple timing cues across the 24 hr cycle. These multiphasic signals are generated in part by neuropeptide-mediated interactions between
pacemakers. Secondly, he tries to investigate the molecular details of signaling downstream
of PDF neuropeptide receptor in this circadian circuit. He have shown that activation of this
GPCR generates cAMP via certain adenylate cyclases, and that receptivity to PDF is itself
rhythmic, with a peak at dawn (which is when behaviorally-functional signaling takes place).
Further the rhythm of sensitivity is gated by the small GTPase Ral A. Ultimately he would like
to understand how this GPCR signals to control the phases of daily calcium peaks in different
pacemaker neurons.
Dr. Peter Campbell
Dr Peter Campbell is Head of Product Safety External Research
Collaborations and a Senior Environmental Risk Assessment
Specialist in the Environmental Safety Department of Syngenta
based at the Jealotts Hill Research Centre in UK. He has worked
in the field of ecotoxicology and environmental risk assessment
of pesticides for 23 years, with the first 7 years being in the UK
Pesticide Regulatory Authority. He is currently responsible for
leading Syngenta’s Pollinator Research efforts. He is also a
member of the European Crop Protection Association’s (ECPA)
Environmental Expert Group and is the Chairman of the ECPA Pollinator Steering Team. He is
a long term member and Fellow of the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
(SETAC).
Dr Victoria Hayward
Currently European Programme Manager at the University of
Leicester, I have previously worked as a European Advisor at
the UK Research Office in Brussels, and as European Projects
Coordinator at the University of Nottingham. My experience
spans EU policy and grantwriting, and I have worked on both
sides of funding, sitting both on European Commission
Programme Committees, and working directly with
researchers to apply for H2020 funding.
Professor Małgorzata Grodzińska – Jurczak
Prof. Małgorzata Grodzińska-Jurczak is a researcher, an
academic lecturer and a consultant. Since her Post-doc (1994)
she has focused on environmental education followed by her
habilitation and professorship research interests: social aspects
of nature conservation (human dimension of natural resources,
human-nature conflicts management, e.g. around Natura 2000,
public participation in decision making on environmental
issues). She widely publishes in Polish and internationally
recognized journals, speaks at conferences and because of an
applicable character of her study, tries to transfer its
achievements into practice. Currently Małgorzata co-ordinates
work of Nature Protection & Environmental Education Research
Team, which was set up at the Institute of Environmental
Sciences, Jagiellonian University. Małgorzata lectures
Environmental Education, Eco-social aspects of nature protection, Environmental protection
policy, tutors B.Sc., M.Sc., PhD students and authors curriculae.
Małgorzata is active at awarding and managing national, international (6, 7 EU PR, EOG,
Fulbright, LIFE+) research and educational projects (<30 in total) where she serves as a
thematic group co-ordinator and/or a Board Member. Prof. Grodzińska is an assessment
expert on Polish (NCBR, NCN, Małopolska Fund of Env. Protection & Water Mngmt.) and
international projects (EOG, 6, 7 PR EU). She co-ordinates work of ERASMUS Exchange
Program at Biology & Earth Sc. Faculty, Jagiellonian Univ. Małgorzata represents University
in many professional institutions (European Environment Agency, Int. Assoc. of Public
Participation, Int. Assoc. for Soc. & Natural Resources, European Assoc. of Env. & Resource
Economists), sits in editorial boards and regularly referees to peer-reviewed scientific
journals and committees. She volunteers on popularizing environmental issues among K-12
(Board Member of Małopolska Children Univ.) and local communities by developing
curricula, textbooks and organizing educational activities. Małgorzata has a rich experience
in working with interdisciplinary experts groups of various sectors (academia, ministerial and
other stakeholders institutions) at Polish, EU (Project Boards) and international (European
Environment Agency, IUCN) level mainly on improving intersectoral coherence by
implementing research outcomes into policy. She widely trains (4th EU level Qualif. Scheme
Trainer) mostly representatives of policy and economic sectors on public participation in
nature conservation
Dr. Edward Green
Edward Green did his PhD in circadian rhythms in Bambos
Kyriacou's laboratory developing software tools for the analysis
of activity data. He stayed in Leicester to do a Postdoc with
Bambos studying behaviour in the wild, and another with Flav
Giorgini to study the effects of neurodegeneration in fruitfly
models Huntington's Disease. Ed is currently a Marie Curie
Fellow at the German Cancer Research Centre studying the
Human orthologs of Drosophila tryptophan transporters he
mapped.
The Careers Service of the Jagiellonian University
The Careers Service of the
Jagiellonian University offers
students and graduates relevant
information about the job market, as well as practical knowledge on how to prepare job
application documents and how to be more effective at job interviews. We help our clients
to take and implement the right decisions about their professional development, manage
their careers adequately and lead a successful professional life. Careers Service also provides
advice on how to spend the time during and after studies effectively. We fulfill our mission
by offering information, trainings and career counselling.
Olga Frey, M.A. is a psychologist, lecturer and trainer in Careers Service of the Jagiellonian
University in Krakow. She cooperates with business partners; organizes meetings and
trainings with employers and labour market institutions; gives lectures and coordinates
obligatory courses; conducts workshops and other events; is responsible for international
partnerships
Piotr Rapciak, PhD, is a specialist for alumni relations in Careers Service of the Jagiellonian
University. He is responsible for: coordination of Project Alumni UJ; organizing events in
Mentoring Project; extending cooperation among alumni, academic and business
environments.
Patrycja Supik, M.A., is a psychologist and trainer in Careers Service of the Jagiellonian
University in Krakow. She coordinates workshops on the wide range of topics. In cooperation
with companies and institutions she organizes meetings, presentations and other events for
students and alumni. She is also engaged in international cooperation, promotion and social
media.
Social event – 14th September
Jagiellonian University Museum in Collegium Maius
Wieliczka Salt Mine
Meet outside the guesthouse at 14.30.
A bus will take us to the Jagiellonian University Museum in Collegium Maius and
next to Wieliczka Salt Mine.
Collegium Maius, located on the corner of Św. Anny and Jagiellońska Street, is the oldest
university building in Poland.
In 1400 King Ladislaus II Jagiello bequeathed a town house to the University, purchased from
the town councillor Piotr Gerhardsdorf (Gersdorf). Its remaining traces are the pieces of
cobblestone wall in the current building's foundations and on its corner (both on Jagiellońska
Street and in the courtyard). The size of the house was insufficient for the proper functioning
of the rapidly expanding university. Over the 15th century the college area
was increased through the purchase of adjacent houses and the construction of new
buildings. After two fires in 1462 and 1492, all the individual houses were joined as one,
forming an arcade courtyard surrounded by galleries with the diamond vaults typical for the
Late Gothic style. The uniform arcades were interspersed by the "Professor" staircase
leading to the first floor balcony. The ground floor housed lectoria, or lecture rooms. Those
long rooms with low ceilings were poorly lit and often damp. The library (libraria), the
Common Room (Stuba Communis), the treasury and the theologians lecture room (the
present-day Aula – assembly hall) were situated on the first floors. The dwellings of
professors, or residences, were located on the first and second floors. Up to the mid-19th
century the College's appearance and internal layout had not altered in a significant way. Its
appearance and function completely changed with the alteration works for the period 18401870 giving Collegium Maius a new-Gothic look and creating a new seat for the
Jagiellonian Library.
After the Library abandoned the College in 1940, it was possible for Prof. Karol Estreicher to
initiate new, extensive renovation works for the period 1949-1964, including the removal of
the new-Gothic additions. During this period it was decided that the building was to become
the location for the Jagiellonian University Museum, giving shelter to the old University
collections (works of art and keepsakes), as well as significant number of scientific
instruments.
Salt mine in Wieliczka near Krakow
In the salt mine they are magnificent chambers chiselled out in rock salt. Amazing
underground saline lakes, majestic timber constructions and unique statues sculpted in salt.
Almost 3 kilometres of meandering corridors, 800 steps to climb of which 350 have to be
descended to reach the depth of 135 meters underground. Thus it is no surprise that till
now, the Tourist Route, the main visiting route of the mine has been visited by 40,000,000
tourists from around the whole world in search of adventures.
After a tour guided visit of the mines we will have delicious dinner in one of the
underground chambers with folklore music and traditional polish dances. At the end of
which you will be able to return to the surface in a real miner’s lift.
As they say in the mine – back to the world.
A bus will take us back to the guesthouse at 10 pm.
Free evening 16th September
Krakow Old City Centre
Kraków is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland.
Situated on the Vistula River (Polish: Wisła) in the Lesser Poland
region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has
traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic,
cultural, and artistic life and is one of Poland's most important
economic hubs. It was the capital of the Crown of the Kingdom of
Poland from 1038 to 1569.
In 1978 UNESCO approved the first ever sites for its new World
Heritage List, including the entire Old Town in inscribing Cracow's
Historic Centre. Kraków is cited as one of Europe's most beautiful
cities, its extensive cultural heritage across the epochs of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque
architecture includes the Wawel Cathedral and the Royal Castle on the banks of the Vistula
river, the St. Mary's Basilica and the largest medieval market square in Europe, the Rynek
Główny. Kraków is home to Jagiellonian University, one of the oldest universities in the
world and traditionally Poland's most reputable institution of higher learning.
The Collegium Maius (Latin for "Great College") is
the Jagiellonian University's oldest building,
dating back to the 14th century. The Collegium
Maius was rebuilt in the late 15th century as a
late-Gothic structure surrounding a large
courtyard bordered with arcades. In 1517 a well
was built in the center of the courtyard.
Professors lived and worked upstairs, while
lectures were held downstairs. In the 1490s the
Collegium Maius counted among its students Nicolaus Copernicus, the Renaissance
astronomer and polymath who would revolutionize European ideas about the universe.
The Cloth Hall (Polish: Sukiennice) in Kraków, Lesser
Poland, dates to the Renaissance and is one of the
city's most recognizable icons. It is the central feature
of the main market square in the Kraków Old Town.
Church of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven (also known as St. Mary's Church) is a Brick
Gothic church re-built in the 14th century, adjacent to the Main Market
Square in Kraków. Standing 80 m (262 ft) tall, it is particularly famous for its
wooden altarpiece carved by Veit Stoss (Wit Stwosz). On every hour, a
trumpet signal—called the Hejnał mariacki—is played from the top of the
taller of St. Mary's two towers. The plaintive tune breaks off in mid-stream,
to commemorate the famous 13th century trumpeter, who was shot in the
throat while sounding the alarm before the Mongol attack on the city.
Wawel is a fortified architectural complex on the top of limestone outcrop on the left bank
of the Vistula river.The complex consists of many buildings and fortifications; the largest and
best known of these are the Royal Castle and the Wawel Cathedral (which is the Basilica of St
Stanisław and St Wacław). Some of Wawel's oldest stone buildings, such as the Rotunda of
the Virgin Mary can be dated to 970 AD. There are also wooden parts of the complex which
date to about the 9th century.The castle itself has been described as "one of the most
fascinating of all European castles."