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Krakow City Guide - Sightseeings - The Main Market Square |
THE MAIN MARKET SQUARE
It is the largest medieval square in Europe (approx. 200x200 m). It was laid out when the city received its charter in 1257. The Churches of St. Mary's and St. Adalbert were built earlier, and thus they are not aligned with the sides of the Main Market Square. The Cloth Hall, the Town Hall and numerous townhouses were built later The most recent addition is the monument of Adam Mickiewicz - today it is the most popular meeting place for young people. Looking at the restored colourful townhouses and mansions surrounding the square it is hard to believe that they are 500-600 years' old. The Grey House at no. 6 deserves a closer look. Legend has it that it was donated by King Casimir the Great to his mistress, Sarah. The Pod Krzysztofory Palace is also noteworthy as kings John Casimir, Michal Korybut Wisniowiecki and Prince Jozef Poniatowski once
stayed there. Today it houses the Krakow's Historical Museum. |
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 THE CLOTH HALL
The origins of the Cloth Hall go back to the 13th c., but at that time it was just a double range of cloth trade stalls. They differed from other trade facilities at the Main Market Square only because of their size. In the 14th c. the merchants built a 108-metre long hall, which two centuries later was reconstructed after a fire as an impressive Renaissance building with a parapet adorned by mascarons. The Cloth Hall acquired its current appearance in the 19th c. when the neo-Gothic arcades were added. Continues a centuries-old tradition, trade still flourishes in the stylish stalls of the Cloth Hall. Merchant and guild emblems may be seen on the walls, along with the armorial bearings of Polish cities. |
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 ST. MARY'S CHURCH
The church, founded by Krakow burghers in the 13th c., is one of the finest Gothic parish churches in Poland.
Its interior captivates the viewer with its outstanding polychromies by Jan Matejko, as well as by its stained-glass windows, both 14th-century and those designed by S. Wyspiahski and J. Matejko. One should take a glance at the epitaphs of prominent families and take a seat in the wooden Baroque stalls, centuries ago reserved for the City of Krakow's councillors and magnates. Behind the basilica are the small Mariacki Square and the charming St Barbara's Church dating from the 14th c. |
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 The real jewel of the basilica is its high-altar, the work of Wit Stwosz (Veit Stoss). It is 13 metres high and 11 metres wide and is the largest medieval wooden altar in the entire Europe. It took 12 years for the Master to complete his work. The altar consists of 200 figures, from as small as 3 cm to as high as 3 m; they were carved with great precision revealing all anatomical details. The central scene depicts the Dormition of Our Lady; bas-reliefs on side wings illustrate scenes from the New Testament. From the higher of the two towers of the church (81m), a bugle is played every hour. |
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ST. ADALBERT'S CHURCH
This Romanesque church is one of the oldest historical buildings in Krakow; its origins date back to the 10th c., although its present appearance is the result of the reconstruction in the 17th c. Legend has it that the church was built on the site at which St. Adalbert gave sermons. In 1241 the Cracovians found shelter there during the Mogul invasion of Batu-Khan's army. Several steps down lead us to the interior of the church, as the ground level is now higher than during the Middle Ages. Once inside, one should not miss a look at the figure of Christ crucified on the rood-screen. The crypt houses an exhibition on the history of Krakow's Main Market Square, where one can see wooden water pipes dating from the 15th-16th centuries. |
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TOWN HALL TOWER
The brick tower is the only surviving part of the Krakow Town Hall which was built in the 14th c. Badly dilapidated, the Town Hall was demolished in the early 19th c. The tower is 70 metres high. The entrance on the side of the Cloth Hall is guarded by two stone lions. The Tower houses a section of the Historical Museum; the vaults offer a venue for the Town Hall Stage, It is worth to take the effort to climb the tower to admire an impressive panorama of the Old Town. On the Square, between the Town Hall Tower and the outlet of Szewska Street one can see a commemorative plaque, at the site where in 1794 Tadeusz Kosciuszko took the oath as the leader of the nation. |
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The Main Market Square Surrounds  |
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Krakow Sightseeings