The Lost Wawel exhibition in its present form opened in 1975. Building upon earlier expositions dedicated to the history of Wawel Hill and centered on the remains of the Rotunda of Sts. Felix and Adauctus (alternately, Rotunda of the Blessed Virgin Mary) from the late 10th/early 11th century, the exhibition also encompasses the former royal kitchens and coach house. This unique exhibition combines an archaeological-archite ctural reserve, architectural elements from various periods, traditionally displayed objects uncovered in archaeological excavations, and scale models of buildings. One room is devoted to the Wawel’s large collection of Renaissance tiles.

Archaeological-architectural reserve

Archaeological-architectural reserve around the Rotunda of Sts. Felix and Adauctus Rotunda of Sts. Felix and Adauctus (or Rotunda of the Blessed Virgin Mary), 10th/11th century. This is the most important architectural site within the reserve. It was excavated and reconstructed in 1917–1918. The cylindrical rotunda with four apses is built directly on limestone bedrock. In addition, on the south side there is a circular annex connected to the main structure by a passageway. The building is constructed of irregular sandstone plate bound with lime mortar. The extant walls of the structure are 3 to 7 meters high (southeast apse). The rotunda was discovered Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz, who also studied the structure and proposed the first spatial reconstruction of the body of the building (model on view in the exhibition).

Royal Coach House

Objects discovered in archaeological excavations on Wawel Hill are displayed in the chambers of the former coach house. Material traces of everyday life in the Middle Ages, such as shoes, buckles, pots, and tools among others, are grouped together by their constituent materials. Plaster casts and architectural details which correspond to models of medieval buildings provide context. One of the most intriguing objects on view is a tomb slab carved with an image of the Tree of Life. It comes from a bi-apsidal pre-Romanesque rotunda (known as church B).

Small Kitchen

Parts of the 16th-century royal kitch-ens are preserved in this chamber: foundations of the pillars that supported stove hoods, remnants of ovens, and the original ceramic tile floor. Late medieval ceramics, such as kitchen vessels, tableware, floor and stove tiles, are displayed in glass cases. Also on view are models of the 15th-century psalm singers house founded by Jan Długosz and the 14th-century Gothic cathedral.

Lapidarium (I)

Architectural details from the Arcaded Courtyard, which was restored by Zygmunt Hendel in 1905–1914. Original 16th-century stonework elements, later replaced by copies, constitute a large portion of the Wawel lapidarium.

Lapidarium (II)

Stonework fragments from the royal palace and ensembles of carved stone details found in archaeological excavations of the lower terrace of the royal gardens.

Lapidarium (III)

Stonework from the Wawel Cathedral includes a Renaissance altar ensemble from 1521, carved by stonecutters from the workshop responsible the Sigismund Chapel; a tympanum from the tomb (1613–1615) of Piotr Tylicki, bishop of Krakow; and a 1558 marble sculpture of St. Anthony Abbot.

Lapidarium (IV)

Exhibition of plaster casts of the carved decoration of the Sigismund Chapel. The oldest were cast in 1868–1874, from molds made by the Krakow sculptor Parys Filippi. The casts were made by students attending Courses for Women at the Museum of Technology and Industry in Krakow and published in an 1878 album on the architectural decoration of the chapel entitled “Album ozdób z kaplicy Zygmuntowskiej.”

Tile Room

The 16th–17th century tiles in the collection come from ceramic heating stoves once found in the royal castle. It is the most valuable ensemble of its kind in Poland. The tiles are beautifully decorated with figural elements, vegetal and animal motifs, and coats of arms. Models of tile stoves are also on view.

Multimedia Room

The exhibition also includes a virtual computer reconstruction of selected early Romanesque and Romanesque buildings of Wawel, based on archaeological, architectural, illustrational, photographic and conservational evidence. The buildings are shown on Wawel Hill surrounded by wooden and earth fortifications and with cottages within.