The Main Market Square

the greatest medieval market square in Europe

The Main Market Square in Cracow is the largest medieval market square in Europe, with overall dimensions of 200 x 200 m.

History

The Market Square was marked soon after location of the city conducted by the prince of Cracow Boleslaw Wstydliwy in 1257. The space was donated to the local merchants and the ones going along the trade routes, so that they could sell their goods here.

The main municipal square was the place of many impressive celebrations and historical events of the 1st Republic. Here the townspeople of Cracow would pay the homage to the monarchs after the coronation, and the municipal councillors handed them the keys to the town. On the Market Square of Cracow, on 10 April 1525 the prince of Prussia Albrecht Hohenzollern paid the liege homage to the king of Poland Zygmunt I, and on 24 March 1794 the Chief Head of the National Armed Force Tadeusz Kosciuszko took an oath to the Nation, thereby commencing the insurrection. The Market Square was on the line of the Royal Route, leading from Barbakan to Wawel. By this way the king and foreign guests entered the town.

Since the time when the square was created, its level has raised by as much as 5 m. Under the plate of the Market Square there are huge basements, among others, the famous Piwnica pod Baranami. There is also Pod Ratuszem cafe and the "Maszkaron" theatre as well as the archaeological mini-museum in the basement of St. Adalbert's church. There is an underground connection between the Town Hall Tower and the Cloth Hall, and below its main hall, there is the 100 m long and 5 m high medieval hall. Another space hidden under the surface of the Market Square in the neighbourhood of the Cloth Hall, the placed on the side of Sienna St., are the so-called Rich Stalls (ca. 1200 m²).

Almost all the townhouses and palaces surrounding the Market Square are the several-hundred-years-old historic objects. They house, among others: the Historical Museum of the City of Cracow and the International Centre of Culture, as well as reputable shops with exclusive goods. The best known restaurants are "Wierzynek" (no. 15) and "Hawelka - Tetmajerowska" (no. 34), as well as "Wentzl" (no. 19), Redolfi (no. 38) and Pod Sloncem (no. 43). It is worth paying attention to "Vis a Vis" cafe under no. 29, being the favourite place of Piotr Skrzynecki, the creator of "Piwnica pod Baranami". His figure with the characteristic hat on his head still hangs around in this place or in the cafe garden on the Market Square.

Events

The Main Market Square in Cracow is the place of meetings, summer festivals, concerts, fairs and presentations. The following events take place there:

• The finals of Wielka Orkiestra Swiatecznej Pomocy (January)
• Easter fairs (March - April)
• Start and finish, or part of the route of the Cracovia Marathon (May)
• Inauguration of Juwenalia student festival (May)
• Lajkonik (May-June)
• International Meeting of Military Orchestras (June)
• Enthronement of the shooting king (June)
• Parade of the participants of the International Festival of Street Theatres (July)
• Cepeliada fairs (August)
• Festival of Court Dances in the Town Hall Tower (August)
• Christmas fairs (December)
• The annual New Year's Eve party - the greatest ball in Poland

On the Market Square

On the Market Square and around it there are many historic buildings:

•  St. Adalbert's church
• The Town Hall
• The Cloth Hall
• The monument of Adam Mickiewicz
• St. Mary's Church
• a number of historic townhouses.

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• lol2008-03-18

  

  hawelka-tetmajerowska

  Would like to warn people about this restaurant. Visited March 2008 as a family party of 10 and the restaurant was not full but the service was dreadful. We had been in there for 1 hour and still had no starters, a further hour and 15 mins before main courses arrived and then 6 of them were cold. They got promptly heated up under a grill in the kitchen and were returned to us! No apology from mangeress and she failed to understand why we felt we should have our wine complimentary. Living on a name I would say.

   

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