Rethymno, Greece:
Rethymno is a city of approximately 40.000 people in Greece. The city is located on the north coast of the Greek island of Crete. In the old town, the Venetian Harbor is filled with fishing boats and lined with tavernas. Rethymno Lighthouse was built in the 1830s. West, the hilltop Fortezza is a star-shaped, 16th-century citadel. The Historical and Folklore Museum preserves local crafts like textiles and ceramics. Long, sandy Rethymno Beach stretches to the east. Rethymno (ancient Rhithymna) was originally built during the Minoan civilization in 4th- 5th century B.C. The city was prominent enough to mint its own coins and maintain urban growth. One of these coins is today depicted as the crest of the town: two dolphins in a circle.
OUR SCHOOL and HOMETOWN
Kraków, Poland:
Kraków is a city located in southern Poland on the Vistula river, as the second largest city in Poland. It is a former capital of Poland, Royal Capital City and necropolis of Polish kings.
Photo krakow.pl
The history of Kraków as an organised urban centre begins around the 7th and 8th centuries Anno Domini. To this day, we can admire the remains left behind the initial settlers in the form of two mounds: Krakus and Wanda. Another crucial date in the history of the city was its reception of city rights modelled on the Magdeburg Law on the 5th June 1257, allowing the formation of the current shape of the Old Town. As a result, the Wawel Castle became the seat of the contemporary ruler of Poland. The capital city of Poland was at the peak of its development in the Polish Golden Age (16th century). In those times, Kraków was – as it is now – the city of science and culture. It attracted the greatest artists, whose works can still be seen today: The altarpiece by Veit Stoss or the cloister at the Wawel Castle, designed by Bartolommeo Berrecci. The history of Kraków is inextricably linked to the history of the Polish nation.
Today, Kraków is a modern and developing city and a melting pot where tradition is mixed with avant-garde. However, thanks to a great number of monuments, excellently preserved in the city's layout, it has never lost its majestic character. Krakow is simply magical.
Kraków in numbers:
– surface: 326.8 sq. km
– population: 759 800