Town Hall Tower, Krakow

The Town Hall Tower is one of the most distinctive landmarks on Kraków’s Main Market Square. Built in the late 13th century and reconstructed several times over the centuries, it originally formed part of Kraków’s grand Town Hall complex, which once dominated the eastern side of the square. While the rest of the Town Hall was demolished in the early 19th century during a wave of urban modernization, the tower survived and became an enduring symbol of the city’s historic heart.

Constructed from stone and brick, the tower leans slightly—about 55 centimeters—due to a powerful storm in 1703 that shifted its foundations. Its Gothic architecture is softened by later Baroque additions, including an ornate entrance portal and decorative interior details. One of its most prominent features is its elegant spire, which has been replaced more than once throughout history. Despite its refined appearance, the tower also housed a prison with torture chambers, reflecting the dual civic and judicial roles of medieval town halls.

Today, visitors can climb the tower’s narrow staircase to reach an upper viewing platform. The effort is rewarded with sweeping views over the Main Market Square, St. Mary’s Basilica, the Cloth Hall, and the tight medieval street grid that radiates from the city center. Along the ascent, small displays recount the tower’s history and offer insight into Kraków’s system of urban governance.

At the base of the tower, a stone lion and lioness flank the entrance—neo-Gothic sculptures added in the 19th century—symbolizing civic pride and strength.