Coat of Arms Gate

Coat of Arms Gate is the most popular entrance to Wawel. It is located in its northern part. The name of the gate comes from the nine coats of arms of Polish lands which decorate it.

Coat of Arms Gate was built in 1921. The fort gate, built in the 19th century by Austrians, was in this place before. The gate was designed by famous architect of the interwar period - Adolf Szyszko Bohusz. It's a simple brick building. Its facade is decorated with nine shields with coats of arms. They represent Polish, Lithuanian, and Russian lands which were included in Poland.

The Bastion of Władysław IV Vasa is situated on the left, next to the gate. It is topped by the equestrian statue of Tadeusz Kościuszko. It's a copy from 1960 of the statue destroyed by Germans. Plaques with surnames of people who financially aided the rebuilt of Wawel after World War I are built-in to the wall stretching along the entrance to the gate.