The hejnal or Crakovian Hymn is played four times every hour in all directions from the tallest tower of St. Mary’s Church in Krakow. According to a popular 20th century legend, during one of the Mongol invasion of Poland (usually the invasion of 1241), Tatar warriors approached the city. A guard on the Mariacki church tower sounded the alarm by playing the Heynal, and the city gates were closed before the Tatars could take the city by surprise. The bugler, however, was shot in the throat and did not complete the tune. According to the legend, that is why it now ends abruptly before completion.
A little history that I found interesting: Originally the tune was played by the town guard, however since the 19th century the tune has been performed by active members of the fire brigade, who use the church tower as a lookout post. Currently there are at least four different buglers serving in rotation at the tower.
Krakow City Guards will start giving out fines in one month’s time for talking during the historic hejnal anthem, also known as the Cracovian Hymn played hourly from the highest tower of St. Mary’s Church on the city square.
The city government wants tourists and other passers-by to stop talking and for restaurants to turn off their music for a five-minute period of silence to pay respect to the hymn, which is played every hour, on the hour, every day of the year.
“We have in mind a very small fine, up to 20 zloty (about 5 euro). That should be enough,” claims Pawel Bystrowski, member of Civic Platform and the city official who conceived the idea, adding that first offenders will receive a warning with a second offence garnering a fine.
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