From 23 July, Cracovians will see a sculpture of the patron of the tenement house on the facade of the Krzysztofory Palace. St. Krzysztof returned here after 230 years. “After many years, St. Krzysztof will again take care of this part of the city” – says Dr. Michał Niezabitowski, director of the Krakow Museum.
Ceremonial unveiling – 23rd of July 2021
Although some Cracovians had the opportunity to see the moment when the figure of the patron saint of the palace appeared on the building, its ceremonial unveiling took place on July 23 at 13.20. St. Krzysztofory on the facade of the Krzysztofory Palace – after 230 years of absence – coincided with the opening of the building after many years of renovation.
“One of the elements of the palace’s return to the public is the return of St. Krzysztof, who was thrown from the facade at the end of the 18th century by the then owner of the palace, Jacek Kluszewski. A few years ago, we unveiled the niche, and after many years, St. Krzysztof will take care of this part of the city again”, explained Dr. Michał Niezabitowski, director of the Krakow Museum, which has its headquarters in the Krzysztofory Palace.
Krzysztofory Palace dates back to the 13th century!
The origins of the tenement house at 35 Rynek Główny, now the seat of the Krakow Museum, date back to the 13th century. Its name was supposed to come from the statue of St. Christopher (St. Krzysztof). According to popular iconography, the sculpture was to depict a saint carrying the Baby Jesus across the river. 230 years ago, in 1791, the last figure of the saint was removed from the facade of the Krzysztofory Palace by the then owner of the palace, Jacek Kluszewski, and the niche was bricked up.
It is not known what happened to the figure after it disappeared from Krzysztofory. One of the theories was that the fragments of the damaged statue of St. Krzysztof, in the collection of the National Museum in Krakow, which would be confirmed by the story that the sculpture was not removed, but thrown, which caused protests from residents and church hierarchs. However, according to the latest research related to the unveiling of a niche on the facade of a tenement house at 35 Main Square eight years ago, it appears that it was probably not it.
A new statue for the patron Saint
The author of the new presentation of the patron of Krzysztofory is prof. Aleksander Śliwa, winner of the competition announced by the Krakow Museum this spring.
An open-air exhibition “The Museum does not have to be in a museum” (“Muzeum nie musi być w muzeum”)has been put up at Wolnica Square. “Again we wanted the items from the museum’s collection to go out onto the streets and change a small piece of the world” invites you to visit the exhibition of the Ethnographic Museum in Krakow. Exhibits in the public space can be viewed from dawn to dusk until the end of the summer holidays.
If you don’t go to the museum, the museum comes to you!
“Open-air, interactive and open to the public, the exhibition is both an exercise of imagination and an attempt to transform a” piece of the world “, in this case, Wolnica Square in Krakow. Thanks to this intervention, the empty space of the former liberum forum become filled with installations, among which everyone can find a place for themselves The arrangement draws on the rich collections of the Museum, including the heritage of the Krakow Workshops, as well as traditional culture patterns (cut-outs, coloring books, costumes, decorations). It tells about the unwavering will to create, about the need to leave a trace, about relations with matter and form “. – we read in the description of the exhibition.
The exhibition is accompanied by a series of Saturday workshops for children 6-10 years old organized in the space of the open-air exhibition “Museum does not have to be in a museum” (“Muzeum nie musi być w muzeum”) at Wolnica Square. Each of the three meetings is a story about the three stages of creating a simple toy: shaping it using simple materials, making it move, and defining its features with color.
Saint Mary’s Basilica (Kosciol Mariacki) has always been a symbol of Krakow. A Symbol containing multiple other Krakow Symbols, like The wooden carved altar by Veit Stoss or the Bugle Call Tower with its Hejnal or The Legend of the 2 Brothers. After Tartar raids in the 13th century left the original church in ruins, St. Mary’s Church was rebuilt in Gothic style on the existing foundations and consecrated in 1320. In the early 15th century the towers took the iconic form they have today when the northern tower was raised to 80m high and made into a watchtower for the city. From that watchtower, the Bugle Call plays every day, every hour, no matter rain or shine!
How can one visit the Bugle Call Tower – Mariacki Church?
The Tower cannot be visited during all the months of the year, so make sure you don’t plan to visit it during wintertime as it is closed then. There is always a chance of frost on the stairs so only the Bugle Call player gets to go on top. But! During the summer months, it is always open for visitors and you can check the schedule below.
From July to October (except religious holidays) Monday — closed from Tuesdays to Saturdays 10.00 a.m.- 6.00 a.m. Sundays – 1.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m.
January, February, March, November, December — closed
The ticket price, as of July 2021 is 15 Zloty per person or 10 for 7 to 18 years olds.
Things you should know about the tour
Children up to 7 years old are not allowed to go – due to the steep steps (danger ahead!)
There is a limited amount of tickets everyday. You cannot book/buy tickets in adavnce. Just for the same day. Tickets can be bought at the ticket office only (Plac Mariacki 7).
Children between 7 and 18 years old get a discount.
People with walking dissabilities cannot get to the top as there is no elevator or method to pull up any wheelchairs 🙁 sorry for that 🙁
In case of bad weather the tour (just like the Eiffel Tower, in Paris) gets closed down.
The Tower entrance is located on the side of Mariacki Church, from Florianska Street.
A group of no more than 10 people can enter every 30 minutes.
Did you know?
That the Bugle Call (Hejnal) players are actually firemen? They stay there (up in the tower) on shifts that are 12 hours long! They need to “get to work” by climbing the 271 steps, every day, and they play the Hejnal every hour, for their 12-hour shift. Before the stairs were built, there was no way to get on top except with the help of a very tall ladder (wooden). Thank God they don’t use that anymore!
Yours always truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug that loves views from the top (of the world)
It will be a unique opportunity to see the panorama of Kraków and Małopolska from the top of the Kościuszko Mound at sunset. On June 21, Kościuszko Mound will be open to visitors longer. This is a special action organized on the occasion of Kupala Night, on the longest day of the year.
Kościuszko Mound is a unique place with a beautiful panorama of the city and its surroundings. We know that there are people who would like to stay longer at the Mound, watch the sunset, and Krakow at night. That is why we decided to make it possible.
Leszek Cierpiałowski, director of the office of the Kosciuszko Mound Committee in Krakow
Kupała Night & the special ticket from Kościuszko Mound
On Monday, June 21, the sun will set at 8:53 pm. The mound will then be open to tourists until 21.30. During this time, it will also be possible to visit the Kościuszko Museum and the multimedia permanent exhibition “Kościuszko – a hero still needed”. On this day, from 7 p.m., a promotional ticket price will apply – tourists will visit the Mound on the basis of reduced tickets (PLN 14).
We encourage you to come to the Mound earlier and take advantage of all the attractions available in the ticket.
Leszek Cierpiałowski, director of the office of the Kosciuszko Mound Committee in Krakow
In addition to the modern exhibition, you can also visit an educational route devoted to the private life of Kościuszko and an exhibition of wax figures, see a model of the Kościuszko Mound and the Kościuszko garden and take a walk along charming alleys on the way to the Mound. Children can enjoy the playground with a miniature of the Kościuszko Tower and a special sightseeing path at the core exhibition.
My darlings, it is so nice to have you again dropping over to listen to my rantings. Today I wanted to continue the series of Things You Should Know About Krakow as it seems you have rather enjoyed the first post on this topic. So without any further ado, let me share with you my knowledge. I have lived in Krakow for over 10 years now, so… as I like to point out: SHARING IS CARING! 🙂
1. Validating public transport tickets
In order to use public transport in Krakow – be it a tram or bus – you must first buy a ticket. Small kiosks sell them, but your quickest and safest option is buying them from the MPK vendor machines. You will be able to spot them right away as they are present next to the tram/bus stops and they have the colors of the city: white and blue. The nice thing about them is that you can pay either by cash or card (even PayPass/contactless or BLIK). The menu is in several languages: Polish (main, of course…), English, German, French, Italian and Spanish.
The MPK (Public Transport Authority of Krakow) tickets can be for single usage – 20 min, 40 min, 60 min – but there are also weekend tickets (or week-long or even monthly ones) that you can use on your stay in the city. However, if you will look at point #3 below, and if you plan to really get to know Krakow… you can always walk it and get a tram only if you are tired or if it rains. But when you do take a tram/bus, make sure you do these 2 basic steps: 1) Buy a ticket; 2) When entering the bus/tram make sure you validate it by using the yellow boxes on the bars inside. Without validation your ticket means nothing, and if you will get caught you will have to pay a big fine!
2. Drinking in public
It is illegal to drink in Public in Poland! Don’t even try it as you will get a fine! Public spaces – including parks, benches, and everywhere else you may try to open a beer to cool yourself on a hot day – are off-limits!
You can, however, choose to go to a pub or lay down and enjoy the sun from a terrace, while sipping on your Aperol Spritz or your beer. Outdoor seating areas that are licensed to sell alcoholic beverages do not count 😉 However, if you take your drink and step outside of the premises to have a smoke… you’re up for a fine!
Drinking alcohol in public places can land you in a dry-out cell for the night and you may get also a hefty fine. The legal blood-alcohol limit for driving is just 0.02 percent! The fines can get up to 300 euros + the “prison” sentence for the night, so you can sober up.
3. Book a hotel in Old Town or very near it
If you wish to have a nice stay in Kraków, not be touristy and actually experience the city like a local, then you should book an Airbnb or apartment in the Old Town. Or if you wish to splurge, take a hotel – there are plenty to choose from! Why Old Town, you may ask, rightly so… well… everything is within walking distance. You need not get a cab, or even public transport, as all the most notable places can be reached and discovered on foot.
It is true, the streets in the Old Town are cobbled stoned so high heels would definitely not be a good fit. Think sports shoes and flats and you’ll be fine 😉 plus, by walking you will truly learn and feel the heartbeat of the city. Make sure you check the side streets, the small shops, the old-school architecture of the “Kamienicca” – most buildings in the Old Town are from the 18-1900s. Unlike Warsaw (which was heavily bombed during the Second World War and destroyed almost 90%), Kraków has managed to keep its historic buildings.
4. If visiting avoid June-August (High Season)
I know everybody loves taking time off for holidays during summertime, but if you will choose the months of June, July and August to come visit Kraków, than be prepared for loads of tourists. Those 3 months consist of the High Season here.
Instead of summer, I highly recommend you to try the Polish Autumn. It’s not as hot, the trees are changing their leaves and they look marvelous, you can taste the famous fresh “szarlotka” (PL: apple pie) and local ciders (which are absolutely yummy!). Also, if you are a fan of skiing, winter may be a good time to come over too. The Tatra mountains are near (Zakopane is just a few hours away) and you can enjoy the lovely views.
5. Pre-book tickets for the museums online
Museums in Kraków are definitely worth being put on the list. Everyone will be able to see something interesting: from 19th century paintings as big as an entire wall, by the local artist Jan Matejko, to the Stained Glass windows; from modern art at MOCAK to Spitfires at the Aviation Museum; from real mummies (including a cat mummy!) to pages of the original Book of Death. You name it, Kraków has it!
The best way to experience the museums is without the queues though. For that, you can always go online and reserve and even pay for the tickets. Print them or download them to your phone and just get to the museum at the designated time. There are multiple branches that you can choose from, so just click here for the full list.
The Nights of Museums are events in which the inhabitants of Kraków have been willing to participate for years. Last year’s night sightseeing was foiled by a pandemic, this year the Night of Museums will take place, but in a different formula than before. Queues standing late at night to see the museum collections, that is something that we will definitely not see.
When will it happen?
The 17th Night of Museums is scheduled for Friday, May 21, and 37 institutions will take part in it, while the tour will be hybrid, some institutions will invite visitors to their premises, others will only make museum spaces available online. This year’s sightseeing night will take place during the day, during the museum’s regular opening hours, some institutions, such as the Museum of Municipal Engineering, the Polish Aviation Museum, or the Museum of the Academy of Fine Arts, have announced that they will extend their working hours.
This year: no free tours – symbolic fee
This year, most museums do not provide free tours on Museum Night, admission to most of them is paid, although in many institutions it will be a symbolic fee. In addition, all museums require prior registration and reservations, they are available on the websites of institutions participating in the Night of Museums.
The program includes permanent and temporary exhibitions, making available unique places that are normally inaccessible to visitors, as well as special attractions: workshops, multimedia presentations, shows and guided tours.
What will you be able to see?
“All the king’s tapestries. Returns 2021–1961–1921 “, Crown Treasury,” Eastern Art. Turkish tents “,” Cranach at Wawel “, Smocza, Ogrody – (paid PLN 1 for each exhibition) are waiting for visitors at Wawel
The Princes Czartoryski Museum, open after renovation, has prepared a temporary exhibition” Royal Portraits – Vases “
Contemporary Art Gallery” Bunkier Sztuki ” ”Proposes a new exhibition dedicated to the memory of Krzysztof Penderecki,“ Score and Garden. Music in the face of the image, the garden in the face of music “(admission fee 2 PLN) available in its temporary seat on the Main Market Square 20.
In turn, the International Cultural Center invites you to the newly opened exhibition” Not only Bauhaus. Interwar German photography and Polish traces ”.
Until the evening hours, you will be able to visit the greenhouses and the Museum of the Botanical Garden in which they are located. incl. 19th and 20th century teaching aids for learning botany (admission PLN 1).
In the Garden of Experiences Stanisław Lem, which on that day will be open until At 10 pm, in the evening, there are planned element burning shows (“Colorful Flames”) and visualization of the sound wave with gas flames.
Online you can go to the Stary Theater Museum and the Jagiellonian University Museum Collegium Maius.
Newly added to the collection…
For the first time, the Museum Night will be attended by the newly established Museum – KL Plaszow Memorial Site in Krakow. German Nazi labor and concentration camps (1942–1945) (in organization), which invites you to thematic tours around KL Plaszow.
The detailed program of the 17th Night of Museums is available on the website krakowskienoce.pl
The first weekend of museums and galleries after lockdown is ahead of us. Krakow institutions invite you to their branches, extend temporary exhibitions and tempt you with cheaper tickets.
We invite you to permanent galleries and to ongoing temporary exhibitions. In May, we will open to the public the new Permanent Gallery of Ancient Art at the Arsenal, which has just been completed.
director of the National Museum in Krakow, prof. Andrzej Szczerski
The MNK (National Museum of Krakow) extends 2 temporary exhibitions
Until May 16, the experimental exhibition “The Power of the Museum” will be available in the Main Building. There, in only one of the exhibition rooms, 104 objects from several eras have been collected. Most importantly, you can smell, touch, watch in a different light or to the sounds of music and see how the perception of works of art changes under the influence of stimuli and information.
Without going far, you can once again visit the exhibition “Architecture as Music of Space”. This is the 2nd temporary exhibition extended by the MNK, open in winter at the former Cracovia Hotel. The exhibition presents large-format photos showing five unique concert halls in Europe. The nature of their interiors can be seen in the photos printed in 3D technology.
Cheaper tickets between 7th and 9th of May!!!
It is also worth visiting the Szołayski House at Szczepański Square, where the exhibition ‘Aleksander Kotsis. Shades of realism‘ reside. This is a story about one of the most important Polish painters of the mid-nineteenth century. The exhibition covers 2 floors, where we can admire landscapes and portraits by Kotsis as well as photographs of the artist’s lost works and works of socialist realists inspired by the painter’s work. The exhibition will be open until June 13.
The museum also encourages visitors with promotions. On the first weekend after opening, between May 7 and 9, tickets to all branches will be cheaper by half.
MOCAK: exhibitions and tours
The MOCAK Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow has also prepared a gift for visitors. Together with the Przekrój quarterly, it prepared a brochure, a reprint of a fragment of Szpilki from 1976, a crossword puzzle, drawings by Marian Eile, and a poster with a reproduction of the artist’s work. The gift can be collected with each purchased ticket.
Tickets can be purchased for permanent and temporary exhibitions, among which the “Final Song” by Paweł Althamer and Artur Żmijewski will be available for the shortest time – until May 23. Until 30 May, you will also be able to see the exhibitions “Artists from Krakow. Generation 1950-1969” and “Marian Eile Artist and Editor”, “Dialogue with space” and “Contemporary models of realism” will remain for longer.
Additionally, MOCAK invites you to mini-guided tours every Wednesday at 12 noon. You can join these short meetings around selected works of art at the exhibition or watch a live broadcast on MOCAK’s Facebook. On the other hand, every Friday, between 15:00 and 16:00, the representatives of the Museum will talk about the activities of the institution and will visit people asking questions.
Krzysztof Penderecki’s score and garden
Meanwhile, the second Krakow facility presenting contemporary art offers an exhibition devoted to the memory of Krzysztof Penderecki. In Bunkier Sztuki, temporarily located at 20 Rynek Główny, the exhibition “Score and garden. Music against the image, garden against music” was opened on 4 May. Visitors to the Gallery will see, among other things, private sketches – called by Maria Anna Potocka as prepartures – and drawing concepts for the garden, portraits of Krzysztof Penderecki by Beata Stankiewicz, Marcin Maciejowski, and Bartek Materka, and photographs of Marian Eili.
New exhibitions at the Krakow Museum
Also new after the reopening of museums and galleries in the open-air exhibition “Museum in the neighborhood – Prądnik Biały”. From 5 to 30 May, in the green surroundings of Dworek Białoprądnicki, you can see an exhibition about Prądnik Biały and the identity of its inhabitants. “The exhibition is to be an opportunity to reflect on the identity of the inhabitants of Prądnik and whether the rich history of this space is a sufficient bond for the creation of a contemporary local community” – the organizers explain.
Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory has a new temporary exhibition!
The Krakow Museum has opened yet another completely new temporary exhibition – “Separation – Search. The wartime fate of Krakow citizens”. It is available from May 5, 2021, in the Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory. The exhibition consists of six parts and tells from the individual perspective of the inhabitants of Krakow about the tragic events of World War II. Both those who left the city when the war broke out and those who moved there later tell about the war experiences. Their journey to Krakow sometimes took years and led across several continents.
In turn, in the House under the Cross at ul. Szpitalna, the exhibition “In Chocholim Taniec” is available again, presenting a synthesis of the history of subsequent directors’ interpretations of the drama and social reactions to the performances, at the same time proposing a reflection on how Poles saw and showed themselves in the mirror of this drama.
Exhibitions on both sides of the Vistula
On the occasion of weekend walks, it is worth visiting Wawel, where you can see the Wawel tapestries again. “All tapestries of the king. Returns 2021–1961–1921″ is the only display in the history of the Jagiellonian residence of the entire preserved collection in the interiors for which the tapestries were created. Permanent exhibitions, including Representative Royal Chambers, are also open to visitors. As the director of the Wawel museum announces, the official and ceremonial opening of the Wawel has also been planned and it is to take place between 20 and 23 May.
Wawel misses its visitors and waits for them every day. We are ready to accept them with the WAWEL program. RENEWAL – it is a ceremonial re-opening of the Castle after lockdown in a truly Renaissance style
prof. Andrzej Betlej, director of the Wawel Royal Castle
As part of this event, in addition to exhibitions, meetings with visitors in a unique setting, a publishing fair, as well as meetings for families with children are planned. On the occasion of 20 and 21, the exhibition “All tapestries of the king” can be visited with a ticket for only 1zloty!
Manggha Museum has also something up their sleeve 😉
On the other side of the Vistula, the exhibition “Botanical Searches” at the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology, which runs until September, features works by contemporary artists presenting the phenomenon of contemporary European and Japanese botanical art. An exhibition devoted to the work of Maria Sibylla Merian, the entomologist who first formulated, illustrated, and documented the appearance of living insects and their four-stage development cycle, is open until June. The Museum now also houses the exhibitions “Paradise 101” and “The End of the World 2011”, movingly referring to the tragedy in Japan 10 years ago.
For the first time at Wawel, all the preserved royal tapestries will be made available to visitors. The exhibition “All tapestries of the king. Returns 2021-1961-1921” will be available until October 31st. – This exhibition is supposed to be a magnet attracting tourists to Wawel, allows you to experience something unusual – says Andrzej Betlej, director of the Wawel Royal Castle. The exhibition is accompanied by works by contemporary artists, a rich program of educational events and publications.
Hidden from the Swedes, robbed at the behest of Tsarina Katarzyna, taken by the Vistula galley three days before the Germans entered Krakow in 1939. During the war, valuable Wawel monuments found their way first to Romania, then to France and, via England, to Canada.
For the first time, all preserved Wawel tapestries will be presented to visitors in the interiors for which they were created. From March 18, at the Wawel Royal Castle, the exhibition “All the King’s tapestries. Returns 2021-1961-1921”.
This exhibition is not only works but also a story. This is the history of these tapestries, it is also the history of the great undertaking which is the conservation of tapestries, as well as a great educational story. All three themes are very much present at this exhibition.
Dr hab. Andrzej Betlej, director of the Wawel Royal Castle
The collection of Wawel tapestries was made in the years 1550-1560 in workshops in Brussels. The fabrics are made of wool and silk as well as silver and silver gilded threads. Among the exhibits presented at Wawel, you can see one of the tapestries after recent conservation, which to some extent has regained its original color.
This is a unique exhibition showing the entire stock of the most important 16th-century tapestry in Poland, one of the most important and interesting in Europe. For the first time, we show fabrics that viewers have never been able to see. We tried to show it in reverse chronology, we start with two contemporary works of art that were created especially for this exhibition, to go from 1961 to 1921, to end up in the Senator’s Hall in 1553.
Magdalena Ozga, curator of the exhibition
The contemporary context, which is an introduction to the exhibition, are the works of Mirosław Białka and Marcin Maciejowski, who commented on the contemporary aspect of receiving tapestries and the mapping that is the key to reading the reverse narrative of the exhibition.
After a 5-month exhibition, some tapestries will be returned to museum warehouses. It is possible that part of the collection will be presented at special shows in Europe.
The exhibition is to commemorate the return of the royal tapestries – on March 18, 1961, when the ceremonial display of tapestries took place after their return from Canada, and on March 18, 1921, when under the Riga Peace Treaty, a collection of tapestries and people stolen during the Third Partition of Poland was brought from Russia, thanks to which the tapestries survived.
I would like the exhibition to be remembered as a monument to the importance of the royal foundation, as a commemoration of those who created the collection and cared for it for centuries – emphasized Andrzej Betlej.
Andrzej Betlej
The exhibition is accompanied by numerous publications, incl. richly illustrated album “Arrasa Zygmunt August”, “Essays on the tapestries of King Zygmunt August” by Magdalena Piwocka and a program of educational events, including the first match of a jerk at Wawel (June 19), culinary reconstruction of the wedding of Zygmunt August and Katarzyna Habsburgian Women (19 July), or monthly meetings with conservators who will introduce the backstage of their work on the renovation of tapestries (March 31, April 21, May 26, June 23, July 21, August 25, September 22, October 13). , noon)
The exhibition “All the King’s Tapestries. Returns 2021-1961-1921” will be available from March 18 to October 31.
I, for one, look forward to visiting this expo, once the exhibition and Wawel Museum will open!
Na Zabłociu – in the building at ul. Tadeusza Romanowicza 4 (in the former Telpod electronics factory) – a self-service beer shop has been opened. You can get a bottle on-site, and you pay with a special card.
The only self-service bar in Krakow!
Let us remind you that due to the coronavirus pandemic, it is still not possible to eat in pubs and restaurants “on the spot”.
The owners of a new – as they say “the only one in Krakow” – self-service beer store, opened in Zabłocie, came up with an innovative idea. It’s called “NALE SE”.
“We offer 12 taps and 2 PET bottle formats – 0.5 and 1 L, but with us, you decide how much to pour!” – we read on the store’s Facebook profile.
Self-service beer shop. How it’s working?
Payment handling is related to the sale of prepaid cards for multiple reloads, which can be purchased at the premises. These can be topped up on the spot or via a special mobile application. Then it is placed in the reader above the tap with the beer that interests us and poured as much as we want (and the funds on the card).
We have to postpone the plans for a pub where you can sit and drink a beer for a while because of the current restrictions. However, we are opening up as a store where you can stock up on bottles and pour to take away
The originator of “Nalej Se”
Self-service beer shop in Zabłocie
“We hope to give our clients a lot of fun while playing the role of a bartender. And something good to taste while a normal pub visit is still a memory” – he adds.
To make your bar experience even richer, the restaurant also serves a wide range of snacks and beer dishes.
Shop, pub, or museum?
The beer shop and multitap were opened in Zabłocie in a private student residence building. The huge building used to be the seat of the former Telpod, a factory of electronic components that powered UNITRA devices, including TV sets, tape recorders and other audio-video devices, once hosted in every Polish home.
We commemorated the times of one of the largest companies in post-war Krakow. In cooperation with the Communications School Complex, we have created a decor and an interactive wall on which there will be antique devices and components manufactured in the plant since 1946 – says the owner and originator of the exhibition. We encourage you to visit our store and the museum section, where you can personally listen to reports about the facility from historic Kasprzak tape recorders. And return home with a few bottles of the best Polish beers
owners of “Nalej Se”
Yours truly,
The Twisted Red LadyBug, bringing you Krakow’s latest news 😉
I wanted to visit this museum for a long while… I got to step inside it for the first time on the 27th of September, 2020.
What was the occasion? The Podgorze Open Days 2020 💓
How did I get to visit it? There was a free tour of the museum, announced. The tour was in the English language – run by Pawel M. from #goodeventswithpawel (not my first tour with Pawel, and I highly recommend it👌).
How long did it take? The museum tour took about 1 hour. Sometimes I wish we had a bit more time to spare and look around, but if you will visit it on your own, make sure to book yourself a bit more time.
About the Muzeum Podgorza
Opened in May 2018, this museum chronologically traces the history and legends of the fascinating Podgórze district. It starts thoroughly from the time of Krakus Mound and runs through its time as an independent city in Austrian Galicia. Doesn’t stop at the integration into greater Kraków, or the tragedy of WWII, but brings you all the way up to the present day.
With historical artifacts, documents and photography, there are also multimedia displays and a free audio guide (in English and Polish). The audio guide augments the exhibits and there is also a photography exhibit upstairs. The kids will enjoy the educational room for them, located in the basement.
#DidYouKnow
Though well off the tourist trail, the location is actually significant. It was at this former Austrian barracks building in 1918 that Polish officers in the Austrian Army organized a bloodless rebellion and ‘liberated’ Podgórze, then Kraków, from Austrian occupation, thus making Podgórze the first place in Poland to regain independence after WWI. That story and more are inside, so let me tell you a bit more about it!
My experience with Muzeum Podgorza
The Museum tour run by Pawel M. from #goodeventswithpawel was done through the eyes of a local, a man in love with the history of the place he lives in (and he actually lives in Podgorze district!). He had the patience and answered our questions, yet stuck to the 1 hour promised tour, which was filled with plenty of information to enrich everyone.
A Celtic Mound in Krakow
The exhibition starts from the Mound of Krakow (one of Krakow’s 4 man-made mounds). We find out that probably the Mound of Krakow (Krakus Mound) and the Wanda Mound are probably Celtic, not slavic – as the locals would like it to be 😉 We also find out that the oldest monastery in Poland is the St. Benedict’s Church, located near the Krakus mound.
How can we tell that it was done by the Celts? Well… one of the great celebrations done on the Krakus Mound is Beltane (or Beltain – the Gaelic May Day festival). Most commonly it is held on 1 May, or about halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. We, of course, celebrate it in Poland as well, in Krakow. Coincidence? I think not!
The Royal Free City of Podgórze
One of the most important things to trade-in, in Medieval Times, was salt. People back then did not have refrigerators, the only thing that would stop products from spoiling was salt – and the salt mines around Krakow always had plenty of that!
The transport of salt during the Medieval Ages was done by water – via the Vistula River. In the 18th century, in 1784, the city was granted the city status, as the Royal Free City of Podgórze. It was established/founded by the Austrian-Hungary Emperor Joseph the 2nd – the border with Austria being located on the Vistula River!
#DidYouKnow
You might not know this, but…
1. The wonderful bridge that connects Kazimierz to Podgorze, the Kładka Ojca Bernatka was called before the Franz Joseph Bridge.
2. There was a large colonization movement – giving Podgorze the name of “Small America”. Podgorze was more liberal, where Krakow was more bourgeois. Pogorgze was Austrian, though a free city! And was granted city rights, with very attractive tax privileges. This attracted entrepreneurs, merchants, and craftsmen from the Austrian Empire.
Jews and workarounds
The exhibition in Muzeum Podgorza has special displays also on the life of Jews in Podgorze, but does not focus on the Holocaust events as much as one would think. Muzeum Podgorza is a museum of the City of Podgorze, of the district that was annexed to Krakow, not a museum about World War II.
With Pawel, from #goodeventswithpawel I’ve found out many interesting facts about the life of Jewish people in the Royal City of Podgorze. For example, I learned that steps inside their homes do not count for Jews when they have Shabbat. Love of God, time with family, reconnecting with friends and with oneself – all these fulfill the commandment to “remember” Shabbat. So working during it is a total NO!
However, the workaround was that steps done inside one’s home would not count. The houses are always walled against walls, and they would tie them with a rope, making them be considered as one house. So if you would like to go buy some bread from the neighbor, 2-3 houses away, you could do that by going from one house to another. At it would not be considered as leaving your house and breaking the Shabbat.
Podgorze district has light before Krakow!
The first discussions of the merger between the City of Krakow and the City of Podgorze took place at the beginning of the 20th century.
A joint “Agreement concerning the merger of the Royal Free Town of Podgórze with the Royal Capital of Kraków” was drawn up and signed on 7 June 1913. The merger took place on 1 July 1915. A few days later, on 4 July 1915, on Krakus Bridge, the last mayor of Podgórze, Franciszek Maryewski, and the mayor of Kraków, Juliusz Leo, shook hands, symbolically merging the two towns.
But at the time, Podgorze was much more advanced in terms of setup than Krakow. Podgorze even had electricity before Krakow – 5 years before them!!! They had their own power plant (The Municipal Power Plant in Podgórze) that was established in 1899-1900 at 4 Nadwiślańska Street.
Muzeum Podgorza is a museum about the district, done by the district
Throughout the Muzeum Podgorza you can feel that the museum is one-of-a-kind. It is one of Krakow’s Hidden Gems, and – though it may not resonate much with most tourists – it is a work of beauty and love. It shows the love of the locals for their home-place, their love for history, and their passion for making sure none of this gets forgotten.
How to visit Muzeum Podgorza
Unfortunately, now all museums are closed, due to Coronavirus. But once this madness clears up, I suggest you check their website and visit it!
There is the special “Discover Podgorze!” (PL: “Odkryj Podgorze”) route that offers the combined ticket of 3 museums at a lower price. The 3 branches included are Museum of Podgorze + The Eagle Pharmacy + Oskar Schindler’s Enamelware Factory. Once the ticket is bought, the museums can be visited within 3 days of their purchase! The ticket is available at the ticket office of each of the above-mentioned branches and the Visitor Service Center.
NOTE!!! Children up to 7 years old – free admission!
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