St. Florian's Gate

The tall, grey stone tower of St. Florian’s Gate stands as the last remaining entrance to Kraków’s medieval old town. Eight stone towers once defended the city walls, but city officials ordered their demolition in the early nineteenth century to create open parks. A local professor, Feliks Radwanski, famously pleaded to spare this single gate, arguing its arch protected the city from cold winds. The tower survived, and today it holds a portrait of the Virgin Mary facing the street.