The Hill of the Blessed Bronislawa, also called Sikornik (the latter name also denotes the wood and nearby hills), overlooking the city, is a particularly important place. The magnificent view of the Vistula river valley and further on the Tatras (which can be seen in fine weather), the silence, and the proximity of nature and spirit of history continue to draw the residents of Krakow who stroll there at their leisure time.

Another popular attraction is an uphill walk to the top of the Kościuszko mound on the hill. It was built in 1823 using earth brought there from the Racławice battlefield. In 1850-1854 Austrians surrounded the hill with fortifications (Kościuszko fort), and it is now a stop on the Krakow Fortress hiking trail.

Vicinity of Sikornik hill. phot. Paweł Kapusta [+]

A significant portion of the Sikornik area is occupied by a forest complex. The plant communities which occur there are classified as oak-hornbeam (Tilio-Carpinetum) shrub, which originally covered most of the area now under construction of Krakow urban developments. It is still one of the best preserved pieces of an oak-hornbeam community, rich in species of plants and animals. In its herb layer, some early spring flowers can be admired, such as figroot buttercup Ranunculus ficaria, European wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, common lungwort Pulmonaria obscura, wooly buttercup Ranunculus lanuginosus, asarum Asarum europaeum, and field mouse-ear Cerastium arvense.

Stellaria holostea. phot. Aleksandra Pępkowska [+]

Close to Sikornik hill is Las Wolski, the single largest wood complex in the Krakow area, where oak-hornbeam communities also occur.