You simply cannot miss St Mary’s Church. It stands right on the Main Market Square, and its two towers, which are of different heights, can be seen from most parts of the Old Town.

From the outside, it’s particularly striking with its red bricks, but inside the church makes an even more striking impression. You’ll find a dark blue vaulted ceiling reminiscent of the night sky, colourfully painted walls and a huge Gothic altar by Veit Stoss.

If you’re unsure whether to pay the entrance fee, we think it’s well worth it. Wawel Cathedral may have greater historical significance, but the interior of St Mary’s Church is more impressive at first glance.

For me, it’s one of the most beautiful European churches I’ve visited so far.

Allow about 25 minutes for a tour of the basilica. If you also want to go up the tower, add another 30 minutes, plus any waiting time for your allocated slot.

• Compare accommodation near the Church of St Mary

You’ll hear the bugle call every hour

You don’t need a ticket to hear the hejnal. The hejnal is one of the symbols of Kraków, and we definitely recommend listening to it at least once.

Simply stand in the Main Square (Rynek) on the hour and look towards the taller northern tower.

The trumpeter – who is now a member of the fire brigade – plays the melody successively in all four directions. The entire ritual is repeated every hour, day and night.

The melody always ends abruptly in the middle of a note. According to legend, a medieval sentry was struck in the neck by an arrow whilst warning of a Tatar attack.

The tradition itself, however, is indeed very old. The first written mention of the Kraków hejnał dates back to 1392. Furthermore, since 1927, the midday performance has been broadcast live on the radio.

The Altar by Veit Stoss

Inside, the main altar, created by Veit Stoss (Wit Stwosz in Polish), attracts the most attention.

The altar was created between 1477 and 1489; it measures 13 metres in height and 11 metres in width, and is adorned with more than 200 carved figures.

Don’t just admire it from a distance. You can see wrinkles, protruding veins, thinning hair and hands marked by hard labour on the figures. This is because Stoss chose real inhabitants of medieval Kraków as his models and made no attempt to idealise them in any way.

From Monday to Saturday, the altar is ceremonially opened at 11.50. If you’d like to see the short ceremony, come right at the start of the tourist opening hours at 11.30. On Sundays and public holidays, the altar is open from 14:10.

Further details can be found on the basilica’s official website.

The colourful interior is not entirely medieval

The Gothic basilica acquired its present appearance mainly during the 14th and 15th centuries, but the colourful wall decorations and the starry sky on the vault are much more recent.

They were created during a major renovation at the end of the 19th century, based on a design by the painter Jan Matejko. Stanisław Wyspiański and Józef Mehoffer also contributed to the decoration.

The orientation of the church is also interesting. The basilica does not stand parallel to the Market Square, as the first church on this site was built before the current square was laid out in 1257.

Is it worth climbing the tower?

The taller northern tower is 82 metres high, but the visitor route ends at the trumpeter’s room at a height of approximately 54 metres. A long and, in places, narrow staircase leads to the top; there is no lift.

The view of Rynek and the rooftops of the Old Town is well worth the effort.

Getting a ticket is actually the trickier part. Advance bookings aren’t possible, and tickets are only sold on the day of your visit at the tourist centre at Plac Mariacki 7.

Capacity is limited to 15 people, and groups set off approximately every 25 minutes. During the peak season, we therefore recommend buying a ticket in the morning, even if you’re given a tour time later in the day.

The tower is usually open from May to October:

• Tuesday to Saturday 11.00–17.30
• Sundays and public holidays 13:00–17:30
• Closed on Mondays
• Adults 20 pln
• Concession 15 pln
• Children under 7 years of age are not permitted entry

The tower may be closed in bad weather. Please check the official website of the observation tower for the latest opening times.

The lower southern tower is 69 metres high and serves as a bell tower. It used to be open at limited times, but according to the official website, it is currently closed until further notice.

Admission fees and opening hours

Guided tours of the basilica take place at the following times:

• Monday to Saturday 11.30–18.00
• Sundays and public holidays 14:00–18:00
• The main altar opens from Monday to Saturday at 11.50
• The main altar opens on Sundays and public holidays at 14:10
• Last ticket sales at 17:45

Ticket prices:

• Adults 20 pln
• Children and students aged 7 to 26 10 pln
• visitors aged 65 and over 10 pln
• Children under 7 go free

Tickets can be purchased at the tourist centre at Plac Mariacki 7. Tourists enter the church via the side entrance on the south side of St Mary’s Square.

The main door facing Rynek is reserved for prayer, confession and attending services. If you see that the door is open, this does not mean you can use it to reach the altar or the part of the church open to tourists.

Opening times may vary during services and church holidays. You can find up-to-date information on the website mariacki.com/en.

How do you get to St Mary’s Church?

The church is situated right on the Rynek, which is not served by public transport. The nearest stops are:

• Poczta Główna, about a 6-minute walk, trams 1, 3, 10, 14, 18, 20, 22, 52, 73, 74 and 76
• Plac Wszystkich Świętych, about a 7-minute walk, trams 1, 8, 13, 14, 20 and 70

It takes about 10 minutes to walk to the church from Kraków Główny main railway station. Routes, tickets and how the city’s public transport system works are described in detail in the chapter ‘Transport in Kraków’.

Accommodation near St Mary’s Church

Accommodation right on the Main Square is more expensive and noisier in the evenings, but all the main sights of the Old Town are just a few minutes’ walk away.

• Betmanowska Main Square Residence: an adults-only hotel directly opposite St Mary’s Church
• Hotel Wentzl: a historic hotel on the opposite side of the Main Square with rooms overlooking the square

We compare other hotels and more affordable neighbourhoods in the section on Accommodation in Kraków.

 

What to see around

Discover all the places to see in Krakow.