A majestic gateway leading into the Old Town, the Kraków Barbican is steeped in history. As one of the last remnants of the network of fortifications, which once surrounded the city, the Gothic-style barbican was built around 1498. Touted as the best preserved out of the last three surviving fortified outposts in Europe, the Kraków Barbican is surrounded by a moat. With a diameter of 24.4m, its impenetrable walls are 3m thick and are regarded as a medieval military engineering masterpiece. See the tablet, which commemorates the bravery of Marcin Oracewicz, who defended Kraków against the Russians. Today, the Barbican is a popular tourist attraction and functions as an open-air museum for a variety of exhibitions.