Old Town Walking Tour 8 ST. ADALBERT’S CHURCH Kraków’s oldest church, this mad mix of pre-Roman, Roman, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture dates back to the 11th century, thus pre-dating the market square and thereby explaining its strange placement on the square, as well as why its floor sits some two metres lower. Unfortunately, the church is currently closed to visitors until May 2020.QI‑6, Rynek Główny, tel. (+48) 12 422 83 52, www.wojciechnarynku.pl. 9 CLOTH HALL (SUKIENNICE) The iconic showpiece at the centre of the market square, Kraków’s Cloth Hall is essentially one of the world’s oldest shopping malls, and its origins and development can be traced as those of the city itself. Proof of a structure at this site dates back to the mid-13th century; when King Kazimierz the Great approved construction of a purposebuilt trading hall in the mid-14th century, Kraków’s importance as an east-west trading post vastly increased and the city thrived. After a fire in the mid-16th century, the Sukiennice was given a Renaissance facelift by Jan Maria Padovano, making it the most magnificent building in all of Kraków. Though the name ‘Sukiennice’ literally refers to textiles and fabrics, Kraków’s Cloth Hall saw an array of commodities bought and sold in its merchant stalls including wax, spices, leather and silk, as well as lead and salt from the nearby Wieliczka mines. To this day it is still crammed with merchant stalls selling amber, lace, woodwork and assorted tourist tat, and a stroll through its central thoroughfare is essential.
In 1879, despite the country having been partitioned for nearly a century (or rather because of it), the first Polish National Museum was established here on the upper floor, making the Cloth Hall the focus of a huge upsurge of Polish patriotism. Following a complete modernisation of the building’s interiors, this historical and highly recommended gallery was reopened as the 19th Century Polish Art Gallery (p.54) in 2010. At the same time the Cloth Hall’s sloped roofs were converted into lovely terraces on the east side, where Cafe Szał now offers great views overlooking the market square and St. Mary’s Basilica, while on the ground floor the historical 1910 Noworolski Cafe (p.87) boasts wonderful Art Nouveau motifs by Jozef Mehoffer. The east side of the Cloth Hall is also the entry point for Rynek Underground (p.60) - one of Kraków’s most modern and popular museums, detailing the historical development of the area around the market square. Note, however, that tickets must be bought in an office on the west side of the Cloth Hall, and due to the museum’s popularity we suggest you get them a day in advance.QI‑5, Rynek Główny 1/3, www.muzeumkrakowa.pl.
BOOK A TOUR link 26
bit.ly/KrakowOldTownTours
10 TOWN HALL TOWER On the square’s other side is the 70 metre Town Hall Tower, the only element of the 14th century Town Hall remaining after many fires, renovations and short-sighted demolitions. Known as Kraków’s ‘leaning tower,’ the structure actually leans some 55cm, a curiosity credited to a particularly forceful wind back in 1703. Beside the base of the Town Hall Tower you’ll find one of Kraków’s most wellknown landmarks and popular meeting places - a giant, toppled bust known affectionately as ‘The Head.’ Inevitably serving as a backdrop for almost every tourist who visits Kraków (your turn!), the bronze body part’s official title is 11 ‘Eros Bendato’ (Eros Bound) and is the work of Polish artist Igor Mitoraj (1944 - 2014).QI‑5, Rynek Główny 1, tel. (+48) 12 426 43 34, www.muzeumkrakowa.pl. Closed until spring. 12 PIOTR SKRZYNECKI MONUMENT Before departing the market square, take note of one more monument opposite Eros - that of Piotr Skrzenecki. Always sharply dressed in hat and suit with fresh flowers in hand, the bronze Skrzynecki is a loyal patron of local dive bar Vis a Vis; so loyal that he exhibits total disregard for opening and closing times. A favourite spot of the real flesh-and-blood Piotr Skrzynecki, his bronze likeness is only a few doors down from Piwnica Pod Baranami (Rynek Główny 27), the legendary literary and political cabaret he founded in 1956. Until his death in 1997, Skrzynecki was an essential component of the Cracovian - and Polish - art scene, directing films, screenwriting, acting as Piwnica Pod Baranami’s conférencier, critiquing art, organising unusual cultural events, throwing far-out birthday bashes and being an all-around eccentric. His legacy lives on.QI‑5, Rynek Główny 29.
