Kraków, officially known as the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is located in southern Poland on the Vistula River within the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. It stands as the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in the country, with a metropolitan population of approximately 1,428,363 people.
Historically, Kraków served as the official capital of Poland until 1596 and has long been a primary center for Polish economic, academic, cultural, and artistic life. The city's Old Town is recognized globally for its historical significance, having been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978 as one of the first locations to receive such status.