Church of Saints Peter and Paul

In front of you is the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Kraków's first great Baroque building. King Sigismund III Vasa founded it for the Jesuits, who had arrived in the city in 1583. Work began in 1597 and the church was consecrated in 1635; Italian architects such as Giovanni Maria Bernardoni and Giovanni Battista Trevano worked on it, inspired by the Jesuit churches of Rome.

1The twelve on the railing

The apostles watching over the street are what everyone photographs. The originals were carved by David Heel in the early 18th century; the stone wore away, and the ones you see today are copies. Look for the sun with the letters IHS above the door: it's the emblem of the Society of Jesus.

2A preacher and a pantheon

In the crypt lies Piotr Skarga, the Jesuit who was court preacher to Sigismund III and whose sermons warned of the kingdom's ills. In the 21st century the crypt became a National Pantheon for great figures of Polish culture; the first to be buried there was the playwright Sławomir Mrożek, in 2013.

Inside, from time to time, there are demonstrations of a Foucault pendulum hanging from the dome, which lets you see the Earth's rotation.

A Jesuit church, a Swedish-born Polish king and twelve apostles on the pavement.

3What to look for

• The twelve apostles on the railing, each with his attribute.
• The IHS emblem above the main door.
• The dome, visible from Kanonicza Street behind the church.