St. Mary's Chapel

St. Mary's Chapel, also known as Báthory Chapel, is located in the east part of the ambulatory surrounding the presbytery of the Wawel Cathedral. The 14th-century chapel was thoroughly renovated in the 16th century by order of Anna Jagiellon. It consists of the Renaissance tombstone of her husband Stephen Báthory, and wall polychromes from the same period.

Stephen Báthory died in Grodno in 1586. His wife, Anna Jagiellon, brought his body to Kraków and ordered burial in St. Mary's Chapel. At her behest, it was changed into the mausoleum of Stephen Báthory in the last decade of the 16th century. The construction of storied Renaissance tombstone was entrusted to Santi Gucci.

The chapel preserved original Gothic cross and rib vault, however, was covered with Renaissance frescos. Parts of older Gothic polychrome on window frames survived to this day. The central part is occupied by the king's tombstone. The composition draws inspiration from triumphal arches and covers the entire wall. It was made of alabaster, red Hungarian marble, and Pińczów's limestone. Stephen Báthory rests in the central part of the tomb which is surrounded by personifications of Prudence and Courage. The tomb is topped by the tympanum with heraldic cartouches.