We went to see the Krakow trumpeter in April 2018.
I’d read Eric P. Kelly‘s 1929 Newberry Award winning book, The Trumpeter of Krakow
, and wanted to hear him in action.
The hejnal song he plays is charming–even if it never finishes.
My daughter and husband got to meet him.
We enjoyed the bugling during our entire stay.
Why does Krakow have a trumpeter?
No one knows when the fire watcher first took up his station in the tower above St. Mary’s Church in Krakow.
Located across the square from the fourteenth century Cloth Hall, the church has stood on the spot for 800 years.
The first invasion of the Tartars (coming across the sweeping eastern plains) occurred in 1241. The church that stood in this spot at the time had a tower.
Since the medieval city of Krakow was built of wood, a fire watcher stood in the church tower watching for fire around the clock.
According to the legend, the fire watcher that 1241 night spied the Tartars coming and sounded his bugle.
Before he finished sounding the alarm, a Tartar arrow pierced the trumpeter’s throat, silencing him.
The Tartars burned down the town.
(You can read a more detailed story here).
What does the Krakow trumpeter do now?
While the town wisely rebuilt in stone long ago, they honor the memory of that valiant trumpeter by posting a fireman in the tower on the church’s north side.
Note the square behind them in the window.
It looks like it belongs to St. Mary’s church today, but is taller than the real church bell tower and also houses telecommunication equipment.
Firemen in two shifts stand atop and play the hejnal song in four directions every hour on the hour, all day and night long.
We stayed nearby and, as a matter of fact, I heard the hejnal at both one and two o’clock in the morning.
(See? Jet lag doesn’t always deprive a traveler of charm and beauty?)
Meeting the Krakow trumpeter
My husband and 25 year-old daughter climbed the tower beside St. Mary’s Church to meet the fireman/trumpeter.
The narrow stairs turned and twisted until they popped onto the top floor.
I’m sitting on the ledge of the square glass skylight to the right.
From above, they had fantastic views of Krakow and the Cloth Hall’s Market Square below.
(I’m sitting on the ledge of the square glass roof of the Underground Museum, facing the tower.)
An EMT, my daughter was curious to meet a first responder in Poland.
Unfortunately, he had to take a call so after greeting them, he went into his office and shut the door.
They could take photos, so they did!
The Trumpeter of Krakow–the book.
The idea of visiting Krakow lodged in my brain years ago after reading Eric P. Kelly’s The Trumpeter of Krakow.
It’s the story of a young man whose family was displaced by one of those invading armies from Russia that appear throughout Polish history.
It takes place in 15th century Krakow, back when the city drew farmers from all around to sell their wares in that Cloth Hall market square.
A fireman plays the hejnal in the tower in the book and our hero soon joins him–saving the town from fire and his family from yet another dastardly plot.
It has beautiful woodcut illustrations and an interesting story line about alchemy at the time.
Even six hundred years ago students flocked to Krakow to study at universities in the city.
Today, 150,000 students are enrolled in the Krakow universities.
I like to think that trumpeter keeps them company late in the night even now, reminding them that some one else is awake and watching.
We certainly felt safer hearing that charming hejnal!
Tweetables
Visiting the Krakow Trumpeter. Click to Tweet
A charming tune and a poignant tale: The Trumpeter of Krakow still plays today. Click to Tweet
How a Newberry award book sent me on vacation. The Trumpeter of Krakow. Click to Tweet
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