Streets squares and districts to visit Krakow

Located in the heart of the old city, the point of convergence of all the tourist arteries, this vast quadrilateral of 200 meters on each side is one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. Dating back to 1257, it is a rare example of a preserved medieval urban layout (if we exclude the many shanties, stores, cemeteries and other facilities that were jumbled together in the square and have since been destroyed). In the summer, an incredible crowd enjoys the numerous café terraces, which compete for the spotlight, and the street animations. In winter, life goes on and the crowds gather for its superb Christmas market or the various ceremonies that punctuate the city's calendar. 47 houses now frame the square, built in the 14th and 15th centuries, they were remodeled in the mid-19th century in a neoclassical style that ensures an architectural homogeneity to the whole. Most of the buildings that encircle the square have their own history. No. 6, "the gray house", housed the first elected king of Poland, Henry of Valois. No. 7, called the Montelupi Palace, became the first post office of Poland under King Sigismund. At No. 9 the Gothic Bonerowska Palace was the home of the painter Stanislas Wispański. At no. 20 the Potocki Palace with its loggia-lined courtyard is a model of classical Krakow architecture, as is the 16th-century Pod Baranami Palace at no. 27, which today houses a cultural center.

This square is located on the other side of St. Barbara's Church and behind the Church of Our Lady. Although it is close to the main square, it is surprisingly quiet here. In the past, it was used for the trade of products that did not "smell good", mainly meat and fish. The construction of the tramway lines in 1902 marked the end of its commercial vocation. It was here that the Merkuriusz Polski, the oldest Polish newspaper, began to be printed in 1661.

The heart of Kazimierz used to be called "Jewish Square". At its center stands a circular hall built in 1900 for the ritual kosher slaughter of poultry. Today, the hall houses a multitude of kiosks selling the famous zapiekanki. Lined with a multitude of bars, cafés and restaurants, in the evening the square becomes the center of the nightlife. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, there's a small flea market that mixes trinkets and artifacts from the Second World War. Public toilets are located on the corner of Rue Estery.

The calm, romantic and intimate atmosphere of this small pedestrian square, wedged between the Church of Our Lady and the Church of St. Barbara, contrasts with the bustle of the neighboring Rynek. Enclosed by tall buildings, it boasts exceptional acoustics: the melody of the hejnal can be heard perfectly when played in a southerly direction. In the middle stands a fountain, topped by a statue of a melancholy young man with a turban tied around his head.

The second part of the Royal Way, connecting the Rynek to Wawel, it ended at the foot of the fortifications of Okół, an ancient settlement located between the Old Town and Wawel. It is assumed that the square Św. Marii Magdaleny corresponded to the market square in Okół.

At No. 53 Grodzka Street, there is the Collegium Iuridicum, today it houses the Institute of Art History and two museums: Muszle Egzotycze is devoted to shells, Motyle Swiata to butterflies

This street leads from the Rynek to the Florian Gate, the main entrance to the city. It has always had a commercial vocation and preserves some beautiful Renaissance buildings, notably at nos. 3, 7, 9 and 26. At no. 45 is the Jama Michalika café, the most beautiful in Kraków, which in the Belle Epoque was the meeting place of the literary and artistic movement Młoda Polska (Young Poland). Its representatives created here the Zielony Balonik cabaret, the first political cabaret in Poland.

Now renamed in honor of the "Ghetto Heroes," Zgody Square was the heart of the Jewish ghetto. From here, thousands of Jews left for various camps. Today, a memorial by Cracow architects Piotr Lewicki and Kazimierz Latak stands in the center of the square, consisting of 68 empty chairs that symbolize the possessions left behind by the deportees. Each chair represents 1,000 Krakow Jews who fell victim to Nazi barbarism.

The central square was the heart of the city. From here, five wide avenues radiated out in the shape of a pentagon, leading to residential areas called sectors and indicated by letters of the alphabet. It was to be surrounded by housing estates, party buildings, a theater to the south and the city hall to the north. But the project could not be fully realized because of its enormous cost and the death of Stalin in 1953, which put a stop to the architectural madness. As a result, the city hall, which was supposed to compete with the Empire State Building, never saw the light of day (but the gardens of the city hall do exist) and the project of an obelisk worthy of the one in Washington remained forever in the cards. Instead, on the adjacent Rose Street, there was a 7 t statue of Stalin, the object of many riots during the socialist era. In reality, Nowa Huta exudes a real charm, that of the utopia of the perfect city, and a kind of melancholy towards the failed socialist dream.

If from Centralny Square one walks along Solidarności Avenue all the way to the end, one will arrive at the Sendzimir steel mill (Huta im. Sendzimira, ul. Ujastek 1). The visit is forbidden to the public, but it is worth going there to see its huge sign and the building of the Administrative Center of the steel plant. It is the best example of social realist architecture in Poland. Because of its architectural appearance, the Center is nicknamed Vatican and Doge's Palace.

Kanonicza Street, which runs parallel to Grodzka Street and leads to Wawel Hill, is probably the best preserved street in the Old Town and one of the most beautiful and picturesque in Krakow. Spared from the fire that destroyed much of the city in 1850, it has preserved its original medieval atmosphere.

The Długosz House (dom Jana Długosza)is located at no. 25. Jan Długosz, the first great historian of Poland and tutor of the children of King Casimir who lived there from 1450 to 1480, and its magnificent portal says "Nothing is better in man than his spirit". A bas-relief of 1480 representing the Virgin with the Child is also remarkable. Today it is the seat of the Pontifical Academy of Theology.

At No. 21 is the Dean's House(Dom Dziekański), by Santi Gucci, the architect of Sulkennice. Residence of the bishops of Krakow, the future Pope John Paul II stayed from 1963 to 1967. Its portal hides a beautiful Renaissance-style arcaded courtyard with an 18th-century statue of St. Stanislaus.

The palace ofBishop Florian of Mokrsko, at no. 18, also has a beautiful arcaded courtyard and a Renaissance portal. At No. 17 is the palace of Bishop Erazm Ciołek. The palace of Bishop Samuel Maciejowski at no. 1, built in 1531-1532, was converted into a court and prison in the early 19th century. It was used as a court and prison until 1970. The baroque portal still reads "Office of the Royal Inquisition Court".

The "wide street" is actually an old market place that was the center of commercial and religious life in Jewish Kazimierz. Bordered by synagogues (the Popper, Remuh and Old Synagogue) and 16th-18th century houses, it retains its original organic appearance. The imposing Landau House, often misidentified as the Jordan Palace, closes the square on the north side and today houses the famous Jewish bookstore Jarden.

The old market square of the city is the heart of the district. Lined with houses dating from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries is dominated by the church of St. Joseph, with its majestic octagonal tower of 74 meters. In the square is also the old town hall dating from the mid-nineteenth century with its richly decorated facade. This square is gradually becoming the trendy heart of Krakow, as residents migrate to this new district.

This pedestrian avenue was once lined with roses, the symbol of the socialist regime, and served as a showcase and parade ground for the communist authorities. Until 1989, a 7 t statue of Lenin stood in the middle of the avenue. In order to realize the project, the management of the steel plant deprived the employees of the thirteenth month and the quarterly bonus, and the statue became the focal point of the popular revolts. In April 1979, a bomb was even placed under the statue, without success.

This street, which runs from the Słowacki theater to the center of the Old Town (Mały Rynek), has an old-fashioned charm. Much quieter and less frequented by tourists, the stores and restaurants here are generally more luxurious. At no. 24, you'll find a former synagogue that was converted to Orthodox worship after the Second World War. The Byzantine-inspired interior decorations are well worth a visit, though only during services.