The Main Market Square is the heart of the Old Town in Kraków, founded in 1257. It is a regular, square square, located at the intersection of 11 streets. It is 200 meters by 200 meters in shape and was planned according to the checkerboard layout, typical of cities founded under Magdeburg law.
The Royal Route, the main communication artery of Kraków in the Middle Ages, runs through the Main Market Square, leading from St. Florian’s Gate through the Old Town and the surrounding area to the Royal Castle on Wawel Hill. On the eastern side of the Market Square is Mariacki Square, surrounding St. Mary’s Church.
On the Market Square, in its southern part, there is a small church of St. Adalbert, and at the north-eastern corner stands the impressive Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, popularly known as St. Mary’s Church, which has been the main parish church of Kraków since 1223. Both of these temples, originally in the Romanesque style, were built before the city of Kraków was founded.
The Main Market Square in Kraków has a rich history dating back to the 13th century. It is the largest square in the Małopolska province, covering an area of 4 hectares, and at the same time one of the largest in Europe. However, there are larger squares in Poland, such as in Olecko (over 5.5 ha) and Latowicz (approx. 4.3 ha), and the markets in Tarnogród and Wrocław are slightly smaller.
This is a place full of monuments, among which it is worth mentioning St. Mary’s Church, the Cloth Hall, St. Wojciech’s Church and the town hall tower, which is a remnant of the town hall demolished in 1820.
History
The Main Market Square, the central square of Krakow, was founded in 1257 at the initiative of Duke Bolesław the Chaste. Its square shape, measuring just over 200 meters, was established by mayors Gedko Stilvoyt, Jakub of Nysa and Dytmar of Wrocław, who used a regular measuring grid. The main goal was to provide adequate space for local residents and merchants traveling along trade routes.
Initially, the Main Market Square was the property of the ruler, but in 1358 Casimir the Great transferred most of the buildings on it to the city. The square was first mentioned around 1300 and appears under various names, such as Rynek, Ring, Circulus or Forum. It later became known as Rynek Główny.
The Market Square in Kraków was a place of intensive commercial activity, and the numerous merchant stalls that once filled it remain only in the form of the Cloth Hall. Today, it is not only the city’s focal point, but also an important part of its history and heritage.
From the early 14th century to the 18th century, individual areas of the Market Square had their own names, related to the nature of the trade conducted there. The northern part, also known as “Kurzy targ” or “Kurniczy rynek”, most likely covered the area from Sławkowska Street to Floriańska Street. In the northwestern corner, between the Cloth Hall and Szczepańska Street, there was the “Targ Solny”, mentioned as early as 1343. On the other hand, between the town hall and Wiślna and Bracka Streets, there was the “Targ Głowowy”.
The area from Bracka Street to Grodzka Street was known as the “Rynek ołowiny”, also called the “Ołowiny dwor”. In the area between St. Wojciech’s Church and the end of Sienna Street, opposite Szara Kamienica, there was the “Żydowski rynek”, sometimes called the “Żydowski targ”. Probably opposite the exit of Bracka Street, next to the southern wall of the Cloth Hall, where the Prussian homage took place in 1525, there was a place known as “Na Goldzie”, later called “na majestacie” or “theatrum”.
In addition to the areas mentioned, historical documents also mention places whose exact location is now difficult to determine, such as “Rybny targ”, “Chlebowy targ”, “Bednarzy targ” and “Rakowy targ”. In ancient times, the name “Ring” was derived from the street that surrounded the square. Three parallel streets led out from each side of the market, except for Grodzka, which probably existed before its official establishment.
The four main streets – św. Jana, Sienna, Bracka and Szewska – intersected in the middle, dividing the market into four administrative quarters: Sławkowski, Rzeźniczy, Grodzki and Garncarski. This layout was a remnant of ancient Roman practice, where cities were marked out based on two intersecting axes.
In the second half of the 13th century, the first brick buildings were built, including the Cloth Hall, which bordered the Rich Stalls to the east. The Rich Stalls were used for trading in luxury goods and had a similar form to the Cloth Hall, with 64 trading chambers. In the 14th century, most of the tenement houses were built, as well as the town hall with the notary’s house. The Great Scale, also known as the Lead Scale, was placed between the Cloth Hall and the Church of St. Wojciech, while the Small Scale, known as the Wax Scale, was placed on the eastern side of the Rich Stalls.
Around the mid-14th century, the Cloth Hall took on its characteristic form, which has survived to this day with some changes. The line of stalls was closed on the south and north sides by the shearing halls, or places where cloth measurements were taken. The northern part was later called the Syndykówka. Around the brick commercial buildings were wooden stalls, known as jatki, which were used by various craftsmen and merchants.
The Main Market Square was the concentration of many historic residences of Kraków from the Middle Ages, such as the Margrabska tenement house, the Krzysztofory Palace, the Zbaraski Palace and the Grey Tenement House, as well as magnificent palaces associated with the city and royal authorities, such as the Hetmańska tenement house and the Montelupi tenement house.
The first cobbled streets on the Main Market Square appeared in the second half of the 14th century. In 1373, a regulation was issued ordering the owners of adjacent tenement houses to keep the streets clean. In the 16th and early 17th centuries, the architectural decoration of most of the buildings on the Main Market Square was rebuilt and changed, with the exception of St. Mary’s Church.
The largest building outside the sacral building was the Kraków town hall, which was expanded to include a granary. Near the corners of the Main Market Square there were wooden sumps, or water tanks, supplied from a water supply called rurmus, which was confirmed by archaeological research. From the mid-16th century, the ground floor rooms in the tenement houses were converted into shops, warehouses and currency exchange offices.
In the magnate palaces, especially in Szara Kamienica, the premises were rented mainly by Jewish merchants, which led to the establishment of the Jewish Market at the end of Sienna Street in the 17th century. The tenement houses and palaces on the Main Market Square also housed the first modern institutions, such as bank exchange offices in the Pod Krukiem tenement house or the post office in the Montelupich tenement house.
During the Renaissance and early Baroque, the Main Market Square, especially its part called “Na Goldzie”, was the place of ceremonial entrances of rulers, paying homage to kings, triumphs and parades. It was here that many grand ceremonies and important historical events in the history of the First Polish Republic took place.
For example, on April 10, 1525, the Duke of Prussia, Albrecht Hohenzollern, paid homage to the Polish King Sigismund the Old on this square. The military oath of allegiance to the Constitution of May 3 also took place in this market in 1791. On March 24, 1794, the Supreme Commander of the National Armed Forces, Tadeusz Kościuszko, took an oath to the nation, inaugurating the uprising. The Main Market Square also remembers the entry of Prince Józef Poniatowski and the occupation of the guardhouse by Polish troops in 1809, as well as the balls organized in the Cloth Hall in honor of Napoleon.
The market is located on the Royal Route, leading from the Barbican to Wawel, where ceremonial entrances of the king and foreign delegations took place.
It also witnessed military events, such as the Kraków Revolution in 1846 and the events related to the Spring of Nations in 1848.
Public executions were also carried out on the Main Market Square, often combined with torture. For example, Andrzej Wierzynek, Mikołaj’s grandson, was beheaded there. Convicts were cut with a knife, and today this knife hangs in the passage in the Cloth Hall.
Between the 17th and 18th centuries, several impressive palaces in the late Baroque style were built, such as the Spiski Palace, and several older buildings were rebuilt, including the Hetman’s Kamienica, the Margrabska Kamienica, Pod Ewangelistami and Szara Kamienica.
In accordance with the Senate’s decision, the town hall was demolished in the years 1817–1820, leaving only its tower. Around 1830, the first stands for fiacres, often mistakenly called horse-drawn carriages, appeared on the Main Market Square. At that time, most of the tenement houses passed into the hands of new merchant families, which began to dominate Kraków. Some of the palaces were also bought by new aristocratic families, such as the Potocki family of the Pilawa coat of arms, who acquired the “Pod Baranami” Palace.
In 1882, the Austrian authorities initiated the numbering of tenement houses in Kraków, also in the Market Square, and divided the frontages into so-called lines:
- Line A-B: Frontage between Floriańska and Sławkowska Streets.
- Line C-D: Frontage between Szczepańska and Św. Anny Streets.
- Line E-F: Frontage between Wiślna and Grodzka Streets.
- Line G-H: Frontage between Grodzka and Mariacki Square.
Also in 1882, the first narrow-gauge horse tram line in Kraków was launched, which ran through the Main Market Square. In the following years, the Market Square became a key communication hub for the city, where the routes of several tram lines intersected. In 1951, despite the opposition of specialists, the authorities decided to remove the tracks from the Market Square.
This process progressed gradually. On June 27, 1952, the last standard-gauge tram passed through the Market Square, and narrow-gauge trams were finally withdrawn on February 13, 1953, along with the liquidation of the tracks. The tracks were dismantled a few years later, and in the meantime, an attraction in the form of a horse tram operated.
In 1898, a monument to Adam Mickiewicz was erected on the Market Square. In the years 1929–1932, the building of the Insurance Company “Feniks” was erected on the A-B frontage, designed by Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz, which caused some controversy.
In 1940, the German occupiers changed the name of the Main Market Square to Adolf-Hitler Platz. After the end of World War II, on January 18, 1945, the original name was restored (as were all the streets and squares in Krakow whose names were changed by the occupiers).
On January 4, 1979, the Market Square was closed to car traffic.
Attractions in the center of Krakow
Krakow has a wide range of attractions that will satisfy both history buffs and modern entertainment enthusiasts. We have listed a few attractions located in the center of Krakow below.
House of Attractions
Address: Grodzka 2/14/48
House of Attractions is a place that offers something interesting for everyone. Among the 9 attractions available are 3 different mazes, 2 types of VR games, as well as the Museum of Living Butterflies, which will especially appeal to the youngest visitors. Regardless of the weather – whether it is a sunny or rainy day – it is a great way to spend time in a pleasant atmosphere and take unforgettable photos. Additionally, for lovers of challenges and adventures, House of Attractions offers unique experiences that combine fun with learning, e.g. VR technology, guaranteeing unforgettable moments for the whole family. We highly recommend the best mirror maze in Krakow!
Exit Room
Address: Floriańska 18
Exit Room is a transfer of adventure games of the “escape the room” type (escape from the room) to the real world. It is intended for groups of 2-5 people, and the goal set for participants is to get out of the room in which they are locked before 60 minutes.
The game requires cleverness, logical thinking and cooperation – only thanks to this will it be possible to solve all the puzzles and leave the room. Exit Room is a great idea for spending free time with friends or family, as well as creative team building for companies.
Lost Souls Alley
Address: Floriańska 6
Lost Souls Alley is a place full of fear, emotions and impressions that you experience together with members of your group. The passage forces the group to cooperate and often
sacrifice, which integrates people perfectly, and shared emotions provide hours of conversations and memories. Lost Souls Alley is also a great idea for a school trip, corporate and integration events, hen/stag parties or a birthday surprise.
AxeNation
Address: Grodzka 46
Axenation is an axe throwing club in Krakow that offers extraordinary and exciting entertainment for people looking for new experiences and challenges. In the club you can experience a unique combination of sport, fun and adrenaline, while learning how to throw axes under the professional supervision of instructors.
The atmosphere at Axenation is full of enthusiasm and positive energy, which makes every visit an unforgettable experience. The club offers a variety of attractions for people of different ages and levels of advancement, making it an ideal place for both beginners and experienced throwers.
Thanks to professional service and a safe environment, Axenation provides not only good fun, but also the opportunity to learn new skills and improve your axe throwing technique. It is a great way to spend time with friends, family or work colleagues, which will surely provide a lot of emotions and great memories.
Cracow Poster Gallery
Address: Stolarska 8
The Poster Gallery in Krakow, founded in 1985 by Krzysztof Dydo, remained within the DESA company structure until 1994. Since 1994, it has been operating as a private gallery, owned by Krzysztof Dydo and Ewa Pabis. It is the only gallery in Poland specializing exclusively in the promotion and sale of Polish posters, a meeting place for both artists and all those interested in Polish artistic posters. In addition to preparing exhibitions, printing catalogues, posters and postcards with poster reproductions, the gallery cooperates in organizing and organizes various thematic poster competitions.
The gallery offers its clients almost 2,500 poster titles, almost 200 Polish artists – graphic artists, painters and designers, so any time you have time, it is a must to take a look at this museum.
Events and happenings
The Market Square is a venue for regular meetings and events, including summer festivals, concerts, fairs and shows:
International Meeting of Military Orchestras (June)
Finals of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (January)
Parade of participants of the International Street Theatre Festival (7-9 July)
- Festival of Court Dances under the Town Hall Tower (August)Annual New Year’s Eve party – the largest ball in the country (December)
- Christmas Fair (December)
- Easter Fair (March to April)
- Cepeliada Fair (August)
- Enthronement of the Marksman King (June)
- Inauguration of the Juwenalia (13-19 May)
- Start and finish line, or part of the Cracovia Marathon route (April)
- Lajkonik Parade Final (April)
- A nativity scene competition, which dates back to 1937 (December-February)
- Dragon Parade – organized since 2000 by the Groteska Puppet, Mask and Actor Theatre (early June)
- Antiques fair (every Sunday from 9:00, e.g. at the Market Hall)
To sum up, the Main Market Square in Krakow appears to be the heart of the city, which beats not only with distant history, but also with contemporary life and culture. Its rich history, picturesque architecture and numerous attractions make it an extraordinary place that attracts tourists from all over the world. The Main Market Square is constantly evolving, while maintaining its unique atmosphere and charm. For the residents of Krakow, it is a place of daily routine and endless discoveries, and for visitors – a symbol of the vibrant cultural capital of Poland. Regardless of the season or time of day, the Main Market Square always offers something special for everyone who visits this magical place.
