Bishop Erazm Ciolek Palace, Krakow

At the Bishop Erazm Ciolek Palace you are welcomed by the newest branch of the National Museum of Krakow.

The building was erected in the early 16th century, making it one of the oldest structures of Renaissance architecture in Krakow. This beautiful structure was raised due to the efforts of Bishop of Płock Erazm Ciołek, secretary to King Alexander, the Jagiellon. The Bishop was a strong supporter of artists of those days, along with being a very skilled diplomat. The Palace still holds as one of the few buildings in the city which show glimpses of both Gothic and Renaissance styles of architecture.

Opened in 2007, the Palace is one place where you can view the art that has inculcated in Poland over the years. The Museum has a wide array of paintings, sculptures, and portraits etc. collected from the medieval era alongside the more contemporary exhibits. The exhibitions are divided into two well-defined categories which take the viewer on an art journey through Poland between the 12th to the 18th centuries. Exhibits of Gothic paintings and sculptures, old Polish funeral coffins and ceremonies, the figure of Madonna of Krużlowa etc. comprise the Art of Old Poland. The other exhibit includes orthodox art from the Polish-Lithuanian Republic period.