Reconstruction of a Romanesque Lintel

The original lintel, carved in sandstone, is mounted above the entrance to the stairs in the vestibule to the crypt of St. Leonard beneath the Wawel Cathedral; it comes from the Romanesque cathedral, consecrated in 1142, that stood on the site of the present shrine. The rectangular lintel has an image of a Lindwurm-type dragon, turned to the left, with an open mouth, two legs, wings, and a writhing tail tipped with a trefoil rosette. To the left of the dragon, we can see a fragment of the mouth of another, similar beast. Part of for the frame is visible in the lower section of the lintel.