The Cloth Hall stands in the centre of the Main Market Square and is one of the most recognizable sights for visitors to Kraków. Few people know that what we now see on the façade and in the arcades is the result of several major transformations: from medieval stalls, through a Renaissance reconstruction, to an extensive late-19th-century restoration. Each era left its traces here — sometimes decorative, sometimes functional — and that is what makes the Cloth Hall's façade such an interesting layered story about the city. Let’s look at it step by step.
The Cloth Hall was created as a place for trading cloth — the building’s Polish name comes from that commodity. At first it consisted of rows of wooden or masonry stalls which in the 13th–14th centuries were transformed into a single covered trading hall. This early Gothic form was practical: a large trading space, a simple, austere façade and stalls aligned along the building’s axis. Over the following centuries the façade changed with the needs of commerce and Kraków’s aesthetic tastes.
It’s worth remembering that the Cloth Hall’s façade — like most great monuments — is not the one-off work of a single master, but the effect of repeated damage and rebuilding and the intentions of conservators and architects of successive periods.
The first masonry Cloth Hall appeared in the 14th century and showed characteristics of late Gothic: an elongated hall with an axial layout, sharply finished details and a relatively restrained façade decoration. The form followed function: trade required a large covered space and easy access to the stalls. From this period we mainly have information about the internal layout and load-bearing walls — many of the decorative features we now associate with the Cloth Hall are the result of later rebuildings.
In 1555 a great fire destroyed part of the building, which became the impulse for a thorough reconstruction in the Renaissance style. This is an important turning point — from then on the façade began to acquire not only practical but also representative features.
After the mid-16th-century fire the Cloth Hall was rebuilt in the spirit of the Renaissance. The most characteristic element from this period is the decorative attica — a wall that hides the roofline, richly carved and crowned with a fanciful cresting of mascarons. The attica was not only decorative: it also had a protective function, helping to shield the roof and façade from fire and weather.
The Renaissance character was emphasised by the two-storey internal arrangement: an upper floor clearly separated from the ground-floor stalls, which opened the way to new functions of the building in later years — the upper levels later became a place for exhibitions and collections of artworks.
By the 19th century the Cloth Hall already showed signs of neglect and accreted additions. In the second half of the century, as part of wider conservation efforts and the idea of restoring a city's 'monumental' image, the building underwent a major reconstruction. The project was prepared by Tomasz Pryliński and the works were carried out in 1875–1879. Thanks to this intervention the Cloth Hall acquired many features that now catch tourists’ eyes.
Pryliński regularised the form of the stalls, introducing pointed-arch arcades at ground level — arcades that gave the frontage an elegant rhythm. This solution was meant to emphasise both the building's commercial function and its representativeness. At that time there were also inspirations drawn from native wooden folk architecture, visible in some details and the arrangement of the arcades.
The late 19th century was also when the Cloth Hall’s function began to evolve: exhibition rooms were opened on the upper floor, and in 1879 the Gallery of Polish Art was established — the seed of the National Museum’s activity. As a result, the façade and interiors came to combine commercial and cultural uses.
Although the exterior form of the Cloth Hall is often associated with the Renaissance and the 19th-century restoration, the interiors and some fittings bear traces of Art Nouveau. The most famous example is Noworolski Café, decorated with polychromes by Józef Mehoffer and Henryk Uziembła. This characteristic Art Nouveau setting contrasts with the more 'historicist' exterior of the building.
For visitors this is a reminder that the Cloth Hall has functioned and continues to function simultaneously as a place of trade, social meeting and culture — zones where styles and tastes often blended.
At the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries the Cloth Hall underwent significant conservation and modernization works. One of the important stages was the modernization of the gallery and installations carried out by the National Museum — the works included interior renovations, structural reinforcements, replacement of installations and reorganisation of exhibitions (a major renovation lasted in the first years of the 21st century).
Conservation restorations are a necessity: the façade and stone details are exposed to pollution, moisture and the wear of heavy tourist traffic. In recent years there have also been smaller ongoing works — from replacing elements of stall fittings to tidying joinery and shutters in the arcades. Conservators insist that all changes be approved and carried out under supervision, because the Cloth Hall is under strict heritage protection.
The Cloth Hall is more than just a façade and stalls. On the ground floor you’ll find traditional stalls with souvenirs and crafts; on the upper floor is the Gallery of 19th-Century Polish Art (a branch of the National Museum). Beneath the Market there is also the attractive Underground Market — archaeological displays that reveal older layers of the city. I recommend planning your visit with three 'levels' in mind: the underground, the ground floor (stalls) and the upper floor (museum).
The best times to visit are early morning or late afternoon outside the tourist peak — then you can study the architectural details more calmly and access the upper floor without long queues. If you want photos of the façade without crowds, come before dawn or in the evening when the Square is quieter.
A frequent mistake is treating the Cloth Hall only as a place for souvenirs. Many visitors don’t go up to the gallery or down to the underground displays — yet these areas tell a great deal about the building’s history and architectural changes.
Another mistake is overlooking the smaller details of the façade: the mascaron ornaments of the attica, the rhythm of the arcades or traces of later stone repairs. Look up and study the fine details — the building’s story is written there.
The National Museum runs the exhibitions on the upper floor of the Cloth Hall and has its own rules for tickets and opening hours — check current information before your visit on the museum’s website. The building also operates with official museum guides and staff who organise guided tours and provide information about the site’s history.
For visitors with mobility limitations: some spaces are adapted, but due to the historic character of the building not all areas are fully barrier-free. When planning a visit it’s a good idea to contact museum staff or the guide in advance to discuss needs and available accommodations.
If you want to rest after walking around the Cloth Hall, I recommend visiting well-known historic spots right by the Square: Noworolski Café (inside the Cloth Hall) — also notable for its Art Nouveau décor, Wierzynek Restaurant — one of Kraków’s oldest and most famous restaurants, and several reliable places offering modern regional and international cuisine.
For accommodation consider hotels within the Old Town: Hotel Stary, Hotel Wentzl or other highly rated properties — proximity to the Square is a huge advantage for those who want to stroll in the evening and explore on foot. If you have specific expectations about standard or budget, I can help choose and arrange reservations.
In the passage across the shorter axis of the Cloth Hall, known as the 'cross', an iron knife hangs — an old sign of Magdeburg law. It is accompanied by a legend about the builder-brothers and a punishment for theft, a story that over centuries became part of local tradition.
The façade of the Cloth Hall that looks 'Renaissance' to us today is largely the result of 19th-century conservation choices — an example of how a modern era could transform and 'recreate' a historic appearance for the needs of national aesthetics and cultural promotion.
Is it worth going up to the Cloth Hall’s upper floor? Yes — the Gallery of 19th-Century Polish Art is an excellent complement to the visit, especially if you are interested in art history and 19th-century social changes.
Is the Cloth Hall’s architecture original? It is more of a palimpsest: Gothic, Renaissance and 19th-century elements together create the current appearance; the interiors also have Art Nouveau accents.
How long does a visit take? If you only want to see the ground floor and photograph the façade, 20–40 minutes is enough; adding the museum and the underground displays, plan at least 2–3 hours.
The Cloth Hall is a building that tells Kraków’s story in several voices: commercial, artistic and conservationist. When you look at the façade, ask yourself: what is original, and what is the result of later 'stylisation'? That curiosity will reveal far more secrets than a postcard view.
If you are planning to visit the Cloth Hall and would like to learn its story 'behind the scenes' — with anecdotes, details about ornamentation and practical tips (where to take the best photos, how to avoid queues, which tickets to buy) — you are invited to use the services of private guide Małgorzata Kasprowicz. Małgorzata can help plan your route, lead visits in museums and interesting sites, and organise logistics: transport, hotel and restaurant reservations and ticket purchases. Contact details for Małgorzata are available at zwiedzaniekrakowa.com.
If you found this article useful — share it with friends or on social media to help more people discover how fascinating and complex the history of the façade of one of Kraków’s symbols is.
