Treasures of the Piast Dynasty commemorates the 700th anniversary of the coronation of Ladislaus I the Short (Władysław I Łokietek) which took place on 20th January 1320. The exhibition opened 21st January 2020 at Wawel Royal Castle.
Władysław's coronation opened a new chapter in Polish history, ending once and for all the period of feudal fragmentation and ushering in the long-awaited rebirth of the Kingdom of Poland. Faced with an unstable political situation, in particular Bohemia’s pretensions to the Polish throne, Duke Ladislaus went against existing tradition and chose Kraków over Gnieźno for the place of his coronation. Since then, the cathedral on Wawel Hill – site of the cult of Saint Stanislaus – has been the coronation church. With only a few exceptions, all of the kings and queens of Poland have been crowned within its walls.