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The Town Hall Tower

Standing on the western side of Krakow's Main Square, the Town Hall Tower (or Wieza Ratuszowa) seems terribly lonely – yet proud. It looks down on the Sukiennice (Cloth Hall), and is the only building in the Old Town that has a chance to look into the eyes of the towers of the Mariacki Church. It also lends its own eyes to those who wish to enjoy a slightly different view of the Rynek.

A Town Hall Tower with no Town Hall

The Town Hall Tower's loneliness is indeed justified – until some two hundred years ago it was accompanied by one of the biggest and most beautiful Town Halls in Poland. The Cracow Town Hall was built sometime in the 14^th century – it was a Gothic masterpiece, a true pride for the city. Of course, the municipal authorities resided there. Good care was taken of the Town Hall, and it was modified from time to time to match the latest trends. A major modification of the Town Hall in Krakow took place in the 16^th century, when a spacious, Renaissance part was added. In its days of greatness, the Town Hall had several stately guest chambers, and its exterior was richly ornamented.

The Town Hall buildings also included the municipal granary – as it later turned out, to their own misfortune. After Poland had lost its independence, Cracow and its Town Hall lost much of its splendour, and simply could not afford the constant renovations that some buildings required. The granary was a good example. So, in the beginning of the 19^th century, when the Senate of the city of Krakow had plans to “tidy up” a bit, it was decided to tear the granary down – at about that time the same thing happened to the City Walls. Unfortunately, the works caused major damage to the Town Hall itself, so it had to go down with the granary.

What's left is the Town Hall Tower. The seventy-metre building hasn't been untouched by the time however. When it was finished in 1444, the Tower was richly ornamented, but the delicate pieces haven't survived the test of time. The dome was modified or rebuilt several times, mostly after fires. The one we can see now dates back to the 1790s. The latest restoration of the Town Hall Tower took place in the 1960s, when two stone lions were placed on the front stairs.

The Interior of the Town Hall Tower

Inside the tower one can see some original Gothic interiors, notably the one on the first floor with a magnificent cross vault. The chambers host various exhibitions linked to the Krakow municipality, as the Town Hall Tower is a division of the Historical Museum of Krakow.

Once inside the tower, it's a huge mistake not to go to the top floor – a tremendous panorama of the Rynek, and virtually all of Krakow awaits those who dare conquer the slippery, narrow staircase.

Down in the Tower's Cellars...

The way up is not all – the Town Hall cellars are also an interesting place, and have a long tradition. As long as the hall itself existed, they hosted the famous “Piwnica Świdnicka”, a restaurant especially famous for its excellent beer. Interestingly, only a thin wall separated the guests from the torture room and the executioner's office, which were also in the cellars.

Currently the Town Hall basements host a division of the People's Theatre (Teatr Ludowy) and a cafe. The unique atmosphere of the cellar makes both of them places worth visiting.