Cloth Hall

The Cloth Hall, in Krakow

The Cloth Hall is the magnificent Renaissance covered market that sits in the centre of the Market Square of Krakow. The Krakow audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this emblematic monument, the former heart of the trade of the town.

The former cloth market of the square

The Cloth Hall, in Polish Sukiennice, is one of the most emblematic monuments of Krakow. This imposing building rises in the centre of the Market Square, which it divides in two. As its name indicates, it was formerly the great market of cloth and fabrics, the heart of the trade that made the prosperity of Krakow in the Middle Ages, a town at the crossroads of the merchant routes. Rebuilt in the sixteenth century in the Renaissance style, the building stands out by its long central covered gallery, its arcades and its adorned attic. Today, the ground floor shelters stalls of souvenirs and crafts, while the upper floor hosts a gallery of nineteenth-century Polish painting. The Cloth Hall is the jewel of the Market Square.

What to see

You admire the imposing Renaissance building in the centre of the square, its long central covered gallery with arcades and an adorned attic, a former great cloth market; the ground floor shelters craft stalls and the upper floor a gallery of nineteenth-century Polish painting. The Cloth Hall is the jewel of the Market Square of Krakow. It is a must-see stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Cloth Hall lies in the centre of the Market Square of Krakow, reachable on foot. The gallery of stalls is freely accessible according to its hours; the painting gallery on the upper floor follows its own hours and conditions, which vary. It is best to check the arrangements before coming.

What was the Cloth Hall of Krakow?

The great market of cloth and fabrics, the heart of the trade that made the prosperity of Krakow in the Middle Ages; rebuilt in the sixteenth century in the Renaissance style, it today shelters craft stalls and a gallery of Polish painting.

Where is the Cloth Hall of Krakow?

In the centre of the Market Square of Krakow, in Poland.