Wander the Market Square in Krakow, Poland
Located near the Wawel Castle on the Royal Road in the second largest Polish city Krakow is Rynek, the main market square of the city. Spread over an area of about 40,000 square meters Rynek ranks among the largest market squares of the medieval period in Europe. The market square, which was known as Adolf Hitler Platz during the German occupation of Poland, is the heart of the historic city and is regarded among the best squares by the Project for Public Spaces for its lively street life.
The history of Rynek dates back to 1257 when it was rebuilt after the destruction of the city during the Mongol invasion in 1241 and was designed in such a way that three evenly spaced streets meet the square at right angles on each side. Krakow was once the Polish capital and kings coronation and royal funerals were held at the market square, a tradition which continued even after the capital was moved to Warsaw in the late sixteenth century. The square was also used for public executions and has been witness to several historic events such as the call to rise against the foreign rule by Tadeusz Kosciusko, the Nazi rally attended by Hitler himself and the tragic accident in the seventeenth century when explosives were accidentally fired on the public.
Wandering around the market square you are surrounded by the neoclassical architecture of the townhouses with each of them having their unique names and history. There is a statue of Poland’s greatest scribe Adam Mickiewicz although strangely the great poet never visited the city. The St. Mary’s Basilica is a beautiful structure with its crowning glory the altarpiece designed by Velt Stoss. The metal neck restraints on the basilica’s side doors were used to punish philandering women and certainly will catch your attention. You can climb up the Town Hall Tower, the only element of the 14th century which still stands having survived the numerous fires offering a fantastic view of the Rynek.
The centre stage of the market square is the Sukiennice or the cloth market which can be regarded as one of the first shopping malls in the world, where you can bargain a great deal on amber, laces, woodwork and souvenirs. To learn more about the history of the market and the city visit the hi-tech Rynek Underground Museum located under the market. You can also admire a classical collection of portraits and paintings including Podkowinski’s Frenzy and Portrait of Stanislaw August Poniatowski in Coronation Dress at the Polish Art Gallery located inside the Sukiennice.
Photo by Si Salter of thedepartureboard.com
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Try and come in summer for a wealth of entertainment. We were there in August and being a jazz fan it’s a smorgasbord. Every block around the square seems to have the kind of hole in the wall jazz bar I find so atmospheric. Auschwitz is about an hour away and warrants the best part of a day to embrace this most somber of tourist attractions. The Wieliczka salt mines are another sobering reminder of the tough times Poland has suffered over the decades. A word of warning though, go to the salt mines either very early or late afternoon to avoid some lengthy queues. The opening hours are from 7.30am to 7.30pm.
I only spent one night in Krakow on a rally from the UK to Kyrgyzstan so haven’t got too many tips about Rynek. We did find a fabulous cellar bar just off the square that served wonderful liquors and vodka! As you may of guessed this wasn’t a sightseeing tour but I still appreciated the architecture. Stepping out for some fresh air just before dark a glorious rainbow circled over the tower hall, very beautiful. It wasn’t the alcohol causing the illusion in my mind as I have a photo to prove it!
I visited Krakow for a few days in Winter. There was still alot going on in the square. I love the architecture and the cafe’s around the square to watch the people and enjoy the view.
Note that on the hour a trumpeter plays a song from St Marys Cathedral which ends abruptly in honour of the trumpeter in the 1200’s was shot in the throat while playing this song by the Mongol invaders.
Although I didn’t try it, you can get hot beer at bars in the square during winter.
And yes I agree Rynek is one of the best looking squares in Europe. Some are overrated but Rynek doesn’t disappoint.
Krakow is a very under-rated European party spot and is very affordable for backpackers. They have some of the best party hostels and a lot of great bars/clubs close to each other near the market square. To stay, I would recommend Greg & Tom’s, Pink Panther’s and Mama’s Hostel, as they are all good spots to meet other travellers. If you love to party and are thinking of visiting Krakow, check out my blog post:
http://backpacktoparty.wordpress.com/2013/09/06/krakow-poland-8-2/
I think i have – was a boys weekend to Poland, so memory is a little fuzzy. Gav may have to confirm.
Just found the picture I mentioned in the comment!
I spent a week here for my birthday… Not specifically in the square the whole time of course, but certainly for a couple of meals. It’s a great spot for people watching. More ideas on my blog:http://tiggerbird.blogspot.com/2012/10/cemetaries-chocolates-and-flash-mob.html