Maczuga Herkulesa is a tall (30 meters) limestone monadnock situated in Ojców National Park near Pieskowa Skała, north of Kraków in southern Poland. Its name, in Polish, means the "cudgel (or bludgeon) of Hercules", due to its distinctive shape.

Karst topography of soluble bedrock characterizes the entire park. The area is noted for its rock formations, although Maczuga Herkulesa may be the most famous. Apart from limestone monadnocks, there are numerous cliffs, ravines, and over 400 caves in the area.

Media related to Ojcowski National Park at Wikimedia Commons

Coordinates: 50°14′34.49″N 19°46′58.62″E / 50.2429139°N 19.78295°E / 50.2429139; 19.78295

Pan Twardowski (Polish pronunciation: [ˈpan tfarˈdɔfski]), in Polish folklore and literature, is a sorcerer who entered a pact with the devil, similar to the figure of Faust in German literature. Like Faust, Pan Twardowski sold his soul in exchange for special powers – such as summoning up the spirit of Polish King Sigismund Augustus' deceased wife – but unlike Goethe's figure, he eventually met a tragic fate. The tale of Pan Twardowski exists in various diverging versions and forms the basis for many works of fiction, including one by Adam Mickiewicz.

According to an old legend, Twardowski was a nobleman (szlachcic) who lived in Kraków in the 16th century. He sold his soul to the devil in exchange for great knowledge and magical powers. However, Twardowski wanted to outwit the devil by including a special clause in the contract, stating that the devil could only take Twardowski's soul to Hell during his visit to Rome – a place the sorcerer never intended to go. Other variants of the story have Twardowski being sold to the devil as a child by his father.