Due to the mourning period in Krakow following Saturday’s tragic attack, a number of the traditional Independence Day events have been cancelled with changes made to those still going ahead.
The Independence Day events going ahead are:-
10am Independence Day Mass – Wawel Cathedral. The traditional Mass will be held in Wawel Cathedral.
Before the Holy Mass, flowers will be laid at the Monument to Polish Soldiers in Powiśle (Pomnik Żołnierzom Polskim Walczącym na Wszystkich Frontach II WŚ) and at the Katyn Cross on Plac im. ojca Adama Studzińskiego.
12.00pm – Plac Matejki
Ceremonies in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with the participation of the Polish Army. This year’s adjusted program includes: raising the National Flag and playing the national anthem, a speech by the voivode of Małopolska, a minute of silence in honour of the victims of the tragic events in Krakow, and laying wreaths in silence.
The red-and-white Polish national flag will be displayed across the city, with the addition of a black ribbon for the mourning period.
Cancelled Events
A number of the traditional Independence Day events have been cancelled, including: the independence run, the parade from Wawel to Plac Matejki, cavalry and military service vehicles procession, picnic, patriotic tram, communal singing lesson.
General Information
Wednesday 11th November is National Independence Day (Narodowe Święto Niepodległości), a national holiday in Poland, when Poles would traditionally commemorate the 108th anniversary of the restoration of Poland’s sovereignty as the Second Polish Republic in 1918, after 123 years of partition.
Independence Day is also a national holiday with many shops and businesses closed.
Free Parking – You do not have to pay parking fees on 11th November. With effect from April this year, Independence Day was returned to the list of free parking holiday days.
Public transport will operate on a holiday timetable; none of the usual Independence Day changes will take place. The patriotic tram will not operate this year.
Images from Previous Independence Day Parade – in normal times.
A Scot in Kraków. The founder and editor of Kraków Expats Directory, and our sister sites Kraków TV and Kraków Stories Podcast.
David fell in love with Kraków in 1999, making it his home in 2011.
In 2020 he was awarded the title of Kraków’s Ambassador of Multiculturalism, by the President of Kraków, and is also a member of the GlobalScot network, representing Scottish culture and business abroad.
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