Wawel Royal Castle opens Anna Jagiellon show on 23 October

Wawel Royal Castle, the Polish royal residence on Wawel Hill, opens Anna Jagiellon. All the Faces of the Queen in Krakow on 23 October 2026. The exhibition runs until 14 February 2027 and places Anna’s political, family and artistic legacy at the centre of a new presentation.

Anna Jagiellon was the daughter of Sigismund the Old, sister of Sigismund Augustus and wife of Stefan Batory. The exhibition examines her own decisions and relationships rather than presenting her only through her better-known relatives.

Anna Jagiellon exhibition opens on 23 October

The exhibition is on the Castle First Floor and leads visitors through six castle chambers. Its narrative follows Anna from her childhood at Wawel and her position in the royal family to her path to the crown and her life with Stefan Batory.

Works on display include miniatures from the studio of Lucas Cranach the Younger, portraits associated with the court painter Marcin Kober and a jewel bearing Batory’s profile that was recovered from Anna’s grave. The presentation also includes letters that offer evidence of partnership and mutual care between Anna and Stefan Batory.

The final part examines Anna’s work to preserve the Jagiellonian legacy. Goldsmiths’ works and textiles donated to the Sigismund Chapel are presented alongside the chapel’s gold-plated dome, which the castle museum identifies as a surviving reminder of her patronage. The exhibition marks the 450th anniversary of Anna’s coronation and the 430th anniversary of her death.

The castle’s official exhibition programme gives the dates, venue and curatorial team.

Six chambers connect the queen with Wawel’s history

The exhibition’s setting is part of its subject. Wawel Hill became a centre of political power by the end of the first millennium, and Mieszko I chose it as one of his residences in the tenth century. A stone cathedral was erected there when the bishopric of Krakow was established in 1000.

The present royal palace grew through several building phases. Alexander I and his brother Sigismund I the Old commissioned a new palace in place of the Gothic residence, and the Renaissance building with its arcaded galleries was completed around 1540. Anna’s family history is therefore shown inside the royal architectural setting shaped during the period of the Jagiellonian dynasty.

The castle museum describes the palace as a national cultural institution with collections ranging from Renaissance paintings and textiles to arms, furniture and goldsmiths’ work. The Historic Centre of Krakow, including Wawel Hill, is recognised by UNESCO for its royal, religious and political history, as set out in the UNESCO description of Krakow.

Visiting Wawel Royal Castle: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The exhibition begins on 23 October 2026 at Wawel Royal Castle and remains on view until 14 February 2027.
• Visitors find it on the Castle First Floor, while the museum lists 1 and 11 November 2026 among its closure dates for the exhibition.
• Wawel Hill stands beside the Vistula in Krakow’s Historic Centre, making the castle part of the UNESCO-listed historic complex.
• The exhibition is arranged across six castle chambers, so the visit follows an indoor route through historic rooms rather than a single gallery space.

Searching for Wawel Royal Castle on social platforms

These links open searches for Wawel Royal Castle on each platform.

Frequently asked questions about Wawel Royal Castle

When does Anna Jagiellon take place at Wawel Royal Castle?

Anna Jagiellon. All the Faces of the Queen opens on 23 October 2026 and continues until 14 February 2027.

What is Anna Jagiellon. All the Faces of the Queen?

It is a temporary exhibition about Anna Jagiellon’s life, political role, relationships and patronage, arranged across six first-floor chambers.

Where is Wawel Royal Castle and how do you get there?

The castle stands on Wawel Hill beside the Vistula in Krakow’s Historic Centre, part of the UNESCO-listed historic complex.