Town Hall Tower

The first mention of the town hall dates back to 1316. During the Middle Ages, the building was constantly expanded. It was expanded in the 15th century, and then enlarged with a significant Renaissance section in the mid-16th century. The town hall remained until 1820, that is, until it was demolished, and only the tower remained.

In the 15th century, the residence of Krakow's authorities extended to Święska Street, along with the adjacent tower symbolizing the city's power and prestige. Here, the mayor performed his duties, members of the city council gathered, and the following were operational: the jury court, chancellery, archive, and a granary. On the first floor of the Gothic tower, the city treasury was located.

In the tower's dungeons, two completely different rooms were hidden. One of them was the famous Świdnica cellar, where numerous types of beer and wine were served. Its name came from the popular among townspeople excellent Silesian beer delivered from Świdnica. Over time, the establishment became a meeting place for shady characters, and the patrons heated by drinks were preyed upon by "dishonorable women", offering their company and charms. It's no wonder that the basement was called the robbers' cave for centuries...

Right there, barely separated by a stone wall, was the most terrible place in all of Krakow: the prison and torture chamber, or torture room, where the executioner and his assistants extracted confessions from criminals. Their horrifying working tools can be inspected today in the Jan Matejko House (a branch of the National Museum in Krakow). A convict who survived an encounter with the executioner was sent to the Sinners' Chapel in Saint Mary's Church, where he spent a night reconciling with God. Executions by beheading took place in the Main Market Square, between Saint Mary's Church and the Grey House (No. 6). Convicts sentenced to death by hanging were paraded through the streets of Krakow to Pendzichov, where the gallows stood.

Currently, the entrance to the tower is guarded by a pair of lions from the early 19th century, originating from the classicist Morstin Palace in Pławowice. At the entrance, a Gothic portal with the coat of arms of Krakow and the emblem of Poland is preserved.

On the ground floor in a room that once served to store a wealthy treasury and the insignia of the councilors' authority, there is a set of 14 seals from the year 1444, a unique feature in Europe.

A narrow and steep staircase with 110 stone steps leads to the upper rooms of the tower. The room on the first floor is one of the most beautiful Gothic interiors in Krakow. The last restoration restored its cross-ribbed vault and revealed remnants of polychromy and gilding. Here, one can view reproductions of views of the old Krakow town hall.

The room on the second floor has a wooden coffered ceiling and is lit by three lancet windows. Stone architectural elements found during the renovation of the tower are embedded in the brick-patterned walls. The room displays reconstructions of medieval burgher costumes.

In the room on the third floor, there are archival photographs by, among others, Ignacy Krieger. On the top, the fourth floor, the attraction is an old clock mechanism funded in 1967 by the Krakow Chamber of Crafts.

The tower is open for visits (department of the Krakow City Museum, except for the winter months), there is also access to the basements – they house a café and a theater stage (the "Scena pod Ratuszem" of the Krakow People's Theatre).