Krakow Market Square in the Sun. (#1251)

The beginnings of the Main Market Square in Kraków date back to 1257 when its location and dimensions similar to a square with sides of 200 x 200 m were determined. Similarly to many medieval cities, a checkerboard system was used. The market has since become a place of trade for local craftsmen and merchants from the near and distant parts. Paved surfaces began to be laid in the second half of the 14th century. On each of the sides of the Market, three streets are laid out in parallel, except for Grodzka Street, whose location clearly deviates from the symmetrical layout of the square. The most important monuments located on the Main Square are the St. Mary's Church, adjacent to St. Mary's Square, erected in 1221-1222 on the place where the wooden church stood before. In the following years, due to actions related to Tartar invasions, the temple was destroyed, therefore in the years 1290-1300 a hall church was built on the remaining foundations. In the fifteenth century the works on the assembly of the great sculptural work of the altar by Wit Stwosz were completed, the north tower was also raised earlier, which was covered with a helmet in 1478 and finally in 1666 a crown was placed on it. On the Market Square there are centrally located Sukiennice, which is initially cloth stalls, the emergence of which is associated with the decision to build them Bolesław Wstydliwy. In subsequent years, the Sukiennice was rebuilt many times, and finally in 1556-1559 they were given a renaissance shape. The building then gained a characteristic attic and columned loggias. Significant work on the change in the appearance of the Cloth Hall took place in 1875-1879; arcaded arcades and famous mascarons based on drawings by Jan Matejko. At that time, rooms on the Sukiennice floor were intended for the National Museum. The town hall tower with a clock is 70 m high and is the only remnant of the town hall demolished in 1820. Currently, the entrance to the tower is guarded by symmetrically arranged two lions, set here in the early nineteenth century. Every year, the Market Square in Kraków is visited by several million tourists, as a monument entered in 1978 on the UNESCO list. Currently, the Market Square has a few characteristic points at which tourists like to photograph: a piggy bank, a sculpture by Igor Mitoraj and a fountain that is supposed to bring to mind the crystal. Numerous events take place on the Market every year: Christmas markets, Easter markets, cribs' competition, dragon parade, Cracovia Maraton and others.