The long, historic Sukiennice Cloth Hall stands right in the centre of Rynek Główny, and you can hardly miss it whilst strolling through the city centre.

The market hall on the ground floor is still in use, although fabrics and everyday items have long since been replaced mainly by souvenirs, jewellery and handicrafts. The upper floor houses the Gallery of 19th-Century Polish Fine Art.

Most visitors simply walk through the shopping arcade for free and carry on across the square. That’s perfectly fine. However, if you’re interested in Polish painting or want to view Rynek from the first-floor terrace, it’s worth buying a ticket to the gallery.

• Find accommodation near the Sukiennice

The market hall on the ground floor

A long covered corridor runs through the centre of the Sukiennice, lined with two rows of small shops. Here you’ll most often find:

• amber and silver jewellery
• ceramics and wooden products
• traditional Polish decorations
• clothing, bags and textiles
• classic Kraków souvenirs

Sukiennice is not your typical city market where locals go to buy groceries. Today, it is primarily a tourist bazaar.

Quality and prices vary from stall to stall, so it’s worth walking the length of the whole arcade first before you start shopping.

Entry to the shopping area is free. Individual stalls have their own opening hours, but the safest bet is to visit between 10.00 and 18.00. In summer, at weekends and during Advent, many shops stay open later.

A walk through the Sukiennice itself takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes, provided you do not stop at every stall.

Gallery of Polish Art

The entire first floor is occupied by the Gallery of 19th-Century Polish Fine Art, which forms part of the National Museum in Kraków.

In the four galleries, you’ll see Polish painting and sculpture from the Enlightenment through Romanticism to Realism and Impressionism.

Among the most famous works on display is the monumental painting *Nero’s Torch* by Henryk Siemiradzki. Works by Jan Matejko, Józef Chełmoński and Piotr Michałowski are also featured.

If you’re not very familiar with Polish art, bear in mind that without an audio guide, some of the historical scenes may be harder to understand.

Allow approximately 45 to 60 minutes for a tour of the gallery.

Terrace overlooking the Rynek

Your gallery ticket also includes access to the terrace on the first floor. From here, there is a lovely view of St Mary’s Church and part of Rynek Główny.

Café Szał is also located on this floor. Prices reflect its location directly above the main square, but the view is one of the main reasons to head up to the top floor.

Both the gallery and the terrace are accessible by lift.

Admission to the gallery

Current ticket prices are:

• adults 35 pln
• family ticket 70 pln
• children, students and young people aged 7 to 26 1 pln

Admission to the permanent exhibition is free every Tuesday. However, please bear in mind that there will be a larger number of visitors.

The ticket price includes access to both the gallery and the terrace.

You can buy tickets on site or online via the National Museum’s website.

Gallery opening hours

• Closed on Mondays
• Tuesday to Sunday 10.00–18.00
• last admission at 17:40

Opening hours may vary on public holidays. You can find up-to-date information on the official MNK Sukiennice website.

From a medieval market hall to a Renaissance landmark

The first Sukiennice were built as early as the 13th century as two rows of stone shops, with a closable street running between them. During the 14th century, they were replaced by a large Gothic market hall.

Following a fire in 1555, the building was rebuilt in the Renaissance style, and much of its present appearance dates from this period.

A significant change took place between 1877 and 1879. At that time, neo-Gothic arcades were added around the perimeter of the building, and the upper floor began to serve representative purposes. In 1879, the first National Museum on the territory of what was then Poland was established here.

The Sukiennice are therefore not purely a Neo-Gothic structure. The foundation of its present appearance is Renaissance, whilst the arcades and some of the decorations were added during the 19th-century alterations.

The entire building is approximately 108 metres long and 18 metres wide.

How to get to the Sukiennice

The Sukiennice stands right in the centre of Rynek Główny square in the pedestrian zone. It takes about 12 minutes to walk here from the main railway and coach station, Kraków Główny, and about 10 minutes from Wawel.

The nearest public transport stops are:

• Plac Wszystkich Świętych, about a 5-minute walk: trams 1, 8, 13, 14, 20 and 70
• Poczta Główna, about a 6-minute walk: trams 1, 3, 10, 14, 18, 20, 22, 52, 73, 74 and 76

We describe ticket prices and how the city’s public transport system works in the chapter ‘Getting around Kraków’.

Accommodation near the Sukiennice

Staying right on the Main Square is extremely convenient if you’re visiting Kraków for the first time or just for the weekend. However, be prepared for higher prices and possible noise from the square.

• Hotel Betmanowska Main Square Residence: a highly rated hotel around 100 metres from the Sukiennice; some rooms have a view of the square
• Hotel Wentzl ****: a historic hotel directly opposite the Sukiennice, overlooking Rynek Główny

We compare other suitable neighbourhoods and cheaper alternatives in the section on Accommodation in Kraków.

What to see around

Discover all the places to see in Krakow.