The Cloth Hall is more than souvenir stalls — over nearly eight centuries it has connected trade, politics, art and social life in Krakow. The name itself recalls its mercantile origins: cloth (sukno) was once one of the most important goods traded on the Market. Today it’s worth visiting with curiosity: look at the façade details, go upstairs to the National Museum’s gallery and try to read how the building’s functions changed alongside the city’s history.
A themed walk around the Cloth Hall gives you a chance not only to learn historical facts but also to notice small artistic details — mascarons, the attic, loggias and city coats of arms — which tell stories about market life and the people who shaped it. It’s an excellent place to begin discovering Krakow’s architecture and art in practice.
If you want the walk to be truly rewarding, plan to go inside the Cloth Hall as well — the upper floor houses one of the most interesting galleries of 19th‑century painting in Poland. During the tour you can combine architectural observation with stories about specific works and their creators.
The Cloth Hall began to take shape in the 13th century as a row of stalls — stone and wooden booths — in the middle of the Main Market Square. The building’s name directly refers to the cloth trade, which was one of the main occupations of medieval merchants here.
In the following centuries the Cloth Hall was repeatedly transformed: it was reinforced and expanded in the 14th century and given a Renaissance character in the mid‑16th century, among other things by adding an ornate attic. The first half of the 19th century brought structural problems, and a comprehensive reconstruction carried out from 1875–1879 under architect Tomasz Pryliński gave the Cloth Hall the look close to what we know today. At that time adjacent buildings were demolished and impressive arcades and risalits were introduced.
In the 19th century the upper rooms of the Cloth Hall became exhibition spaces for the National Museum — here one of the first permanent collections of modern art on Polish lands was formed, and donations from artists and collectors created the core of the Gallery of 19th‑Century Polish Art.
The Cloth Hall façade is a treasure trove of details: an attic with carved mascarons, pointed arcades of the undercrofts and neo‑Renaissance risalits that add elegance and rhythm to the volume. Many of the mascarons and attic decorations date back to the Renaissance rebuilding and were created by Italian artists employed in the 16th century.
The loggias along both sides and the stepped turrets leading to the upper floor recall the representative function the building assumed after the Renaissance rebuild. In the 19th century the architecture gained an additional accent thanks to conservation vision and the aesthetics of the era — that is why today we see a mixture of traces of Gothic, Renaissance and 19th‑century stylization.
Pay special attention to the coats of arms and emblems placed on the stalls and at entrances, as well as the small ornaments around the arcades. These often hide interesting clues about the old guild activities and the international influences of the trade carried out in the Cloth Hall.
The upper floor of the Cloth Hall is a permanent exhibition of the National Museum devoted to 19th‑century Polish art — one of the most important collections of that period. In the rooms you’ll see works by artists such as Jan Matejko, Józef Chełmoński, Jacek Malczewski and Artur Grottger, as well as pieces representing academic schools and the realist trend.
The exhibition is arranged thematically: from historical paintings through realism and landscape to symbolic treatments and portraiture. The museum also frequently organizes temporary exhibitions and displays focused on selected issues of 19th‑century art.
Practical tip: when planning a themed walk, allow time to calmly visit several rooms — it’s a great opportunity to talk about how 19th‑century art reflected the social and national changes of the era.
On the ground floor the traditional arcade of stalls still operates. You’ll find handicrafts, jewelry, amber products, ceramics and souvenirs. It’s a good place to look for an original gift, but be cautious when buying amber and supposedly “traditional” souvenirs — mass‑produced low‑quality items also appear on the Market.
A good idea is to choose stalls that look professional and offer certificates or material labels. If you want to buy amber, ask the seller about its origin and any certificate of authenticity. Small artisanal crafts, handmade jewelry and unique prints are usually better choices than cheap mass items.
Remember the Cloth Hall can get crowded — don’t block passageways when taking photos and watch your bags. The best photos of the façade are taken from a slightly set‑back perspective in the early morning or late afternoon, when the light is soft.
Hours and admission: stalls in the Cloth Hall typically open in the morning and operate until the evening — exact hours depend on the season; the museum galleries upstairs are often closed on Mondays, and Tuesdays are frequently free‑admission days for selected exhibitions. If you plan to visit the museum, check the current opening hours and admission rules before you come.
Accessibility: accessibility around the Market Square varies, but some information points and routes near the Cloth Hall take the needs of visitors with reduced mobility into account; local tourist information can indicate the most convenient entrances and facilities inside the Cloth Hall.
Reservations and groups: museums and galleries have rules for organized groups — if you plan to visit with a guide or a larger group, it’s wise to book in advance. If you’d like a themed walk led by a private guide, I warmly recommend booking with Małgorzata Kasprowicz — she offers tours rich in anecdotes, architectural detail and historical context; contact details and her offer can be found on zwiedzaniekrakowa.com.
1. Start in the morning at the nearest corner of the Market — a short talk about the origin of the Cloth Hall and the role of trade in the medieval city.
2. Examine the façade from the outside: the attic, mascarons, risalits and arcades. Discuss the meaning of coats of arms and ornamental details.
3. Quick stop at the ground‑floor stalls — show different types of crafts and give tips on which items are valuable and which are mass souvenirs.
4. Go upstairs to the Gallery of 19th‑Century Polish Art — select 3–4 key works to tell the story of Polish art, discuss styles and historical contexts.
5. Finish by the Adam Mickiewicz Monument or St. Mary’s Church with a short summary and suggestions for continuing the walk around the Market or choosing further topics (e.g., townhouse architecture, guild history).
If you want to eat near the Cloth Hall, choose trusted, well‑rated places. On the Market you’ll find historic restaurants and popular cafés where atmosphere matters as much as food. Venues such as Wierzynek (a restaurant with a long tradition), Szara (a well‑known Market‑Square restaurant) and the Camelot café are often recommended by visitors for their quality and location.
For accommodation — around the Market you’ll find boutique hotels as well as well‑established higher‑standard properties; when choosing a place to stay, pay attention to reviews about nighttime quietness and accessibility if you want convenient access to the center and monuments.
Dining tip: in the small cafés on side streets you’ll often find a better quality‑to‑price ratio than in the most touristy places on the Market itself. Check reviews and book a table on weekends.
Thinking the Cloth Hall is just souvenirs — that’s a big mistake. Upstairs hides an important art collection and it deserves at least 30–60 minutes of your time.
Buying “amber” without asking about its origin — choose reputable stalls and ask for certificates or at least a receipt; authentic, pricier pieces are usually properly marked.
Arriving at midday in high season without a plan — the Market is busiest then. If you want to avoid crowds and have better conditions for photography and listening to a guide, choose early morning or late afternoon.
The mascarons on the attic are not random decorations — some are portraits or caricatures of people connected to the city, giving the façade a kind of local humor from centuries past.
The Cloth Hall once combined functions that would be hard to imagine together today: trade, storage of goods, a venue for public speeches, and a representative space for balls and ceremonies.
For art lovers: the upstairs collection was formed in part thanks to donations and purchases from 19th‑century artists and collectors; thanks to them we can today admire the most outstanding works of Polish painting from that era.
If you enjoyed this guide to the Cloth Hall, share it with friends or on social media — it will help others better plan their visit to Krakow. If you prefer to explore with a guide and want the walk to be full of anecdotes, architectural details and historical contexts, I warmly invite you to use the services of private guide Małgorzata Kasprowicz — more information and contact details are on zwiedzaniekrakowa.com. It’s a great way to see the Cloth Hall not just through the tourist’s eyes but through the lens of art and architecture led by someone with local experience. Thank you for reading and enjoy an inspiring walk around the Market!
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