Shape of the surface of the city of Krakow

Abstract

The article discusses the diversity of the relief of Krakow, which is determined by the city’s location on the border of three large physico-geographical units: the Małopolska Upland, the Sandomierz Basin and the Carpathian Foothills. These units are characterized by a different geological structure, origin and age of forms, and hence the type of relief. The main stages of relief development from the Palaeogene to the present day are characterized and the main landforms, their age, genesis and structure are discussed. The attention was paid to the large hypsometric differentiation of the shape of the surface as well as the importance of the relief for the shaping of climatic conditions, water conditions, soils and natural plant cover. The importance of the relief for the directions of the city’s development and its contemporary tourist attractiveness was also emphasized.