Town Hall Tower, Kraków

The Town Hall Tower ( Wieża Ratuszowa ) is the residue obtained to date of the 13th-century and worn due to disrepair in the 19th century Krakow's City Hall. It stands opposite the St Mary's Church on the edge of the square, about 40,000 m² main market Rynek Główny the middle of Krakow's Old Town.

The tower

The 70 m high tower was built of brick and stone blocks and is inclined due to a storm in 1703 by half a meter. The tower is crowned by a Baroque dome. The entrance to the tower from the side of the Cloth Hall, performs a Gothic portal with the coat of arms of Krakow and Poland. Two stone lions that were added in the 19th century, line the entrance.

2003 access to 4, the highest floor of the tower was facilitated for the first time after the Second World War tourists. There watches are presented from the 16th century. From the three balconies you can see with a telescope to the south, east and west and has a fine view of the main square, the Cloth Hall.

History

The town hall was built in the late 13th century.

The building moved parallel to the Cloth Hall out of the tower in which prison, torture chamber and gallows were was removed from the market by a wall. 1562 a granary was built at the town hall. A 1680 fire destroyed the Gothic spire, which was replaced by the royal architect Piotr 1683-1686 Beber by a newly designed baroque spire, however, began to crumble 1783 and was in turn replaced by a smaller, founded by Archbishop Cajetan Sołtyk tip.

The free-standing tower is a relic of 1820 due to disrepair demolished City Hall, the seat of the city council.

Tourism

Opening times: The tower can be climbed every day up to the top platform from 10:30 bis 18:00 clock via steep steps.

Culture

Housed in the tower city's history branch of the Historical Museum Krakow is Wed, Fri-Sun open daily between 9.00 16:00 clock and Thursday from 11:00 bis 18:00 clock.

In the basement the Ludow Theater, a branch of the popular theater is housed ( stage under the Town Hall ).