BaWO4 crystals have been grown using Czochralski technique. The major problems faced were crystal cracking and inclusions. Large anisotropy in linear thermal expansion for different crystallographic directions is found responsible for the cracking and a growth direction <001> could completely suppress it and produced transparent and colorless crystals. These crystals were characterized by XRD and optical absorption measurements, and were found to have high resistance against radiation damage. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.