Attraction

Błonia Meadow in Krakow: history and views of the mounds

Błonia was never completely covered with buildings and is still used for recreation, festivals and sports. From the meadow there is a view of the Old Town and of the Kościuszko and Piłsudski mounds.

Between Focha Avenue and 3 Maja Avenue, Błonia Meadow in Krakow runs west from Trzech Wieszczów Avenue for about 1.5 km and is up to 0.5 km wide. Its Polish name is Błonia Krakowskie. It is a city park, entered in the register of monuments in 2000; it is public open space, and there is no ticket.

The meadow was never completely covered with buildings. It is still used for recreation, festivals, outdoor art shows and sports competitions. Błonia is one of the largest meadows in a city centre in Europe, according to Krakow's Municipal Greenery Authority (Zarząd Zieleni Miejskiej). The National Museum, Oleandry and Jordan Park lie on the north side of the meadow.

What you can see and do on Błonia Meadow

From the meadow there is a view of the Old Town on one side and of Kościuszko Mound and Piłsudski's Mound on the other. The National Heritage Institute (Narodowy Instytut Dziedzictwa) writes that the open meadow visually links the church towers of the Old Town with the Wolski Forest and Kościuszko Mound on the horizon. This position gives one of the best views in Europe of a historic city from within, according to the Institute.

Among the attractions of Błonia, the Municipal Greenery Authority lists a route for cycling, roller skating and running. It also lists two memorial boulders, one for Pope John Paul II and one for Józef Piłsudski. Two sports clubs, Zwierzyniecki Klub Sportowy and Juvenia Krakow, are on the grounds of the meadow.

A triple row of old trees borders the north side of the meadow along 3 Maja Avenue. The National Heritage Institute counted 485 trees in this row in 2014. Half of them were planted at the beginning of the 20th century, in the first phase of laying out the avenue.

The trees along 3 Maja Avenue form a tree-lined walk of ash trees and, parallel to it, a second tree-lined walk with a row of lime trees at the edge of Błonia. These trees are a trace of the so-called Stara Rudawa (Old Rudawa), which once supplied water to the moats of the Old Town. On the south side, along Focha Avenue, a young row of more than 200 trees borders the meadow, according to the same 2014 study.

In 2013 the city authorities described Błonia as a favourite place for walks among the people of Krakow and as the venue for many large events. They named a kite festival, balloon competitions, the fox chase on St Hubert's Day, concerts and amateur football matches. The same article said that, until recently, cows and horses could still be seen grazing on the meadow.

History of Błonia Meadow, from town pasture to papal Masses

According to the Municipal Greenery Authority, the history of Błonia goes back to 1162, when the nobleman Jaksa z Miechowa gave a meadow to the convent of the Norbertine nuns. Cows grazed on the meadow. In the Middle Ages and in early modern times, the marshy ground also protected the town from enemy attack. In 1254 envoys bringing the bull for the canonisation of St Stanisław were welcomed on Błonia.

From the 14th century, the town was in dispute with the Norbertine nuns over the meadow. The first record that calls the town pastures "Blone" dates from 1402. In the early 19th century the meadow became widely known after a parade held on it by Józef Poniatowski. On 26 August 1813 a great flood of the Vistula destroyed the temporary cattle shelters, and the water covered Błonia.

In the 19th century the economic importance of Błonia declined. After transport improved, especially after the railway arrived, that importance ended completely. In 1850 the last public execution in the history of Krakow took place on the meadow. The turning point for Błonia as a place for ceremonies and leisure was the Wystawa Krajowa (National Exhibition), an exhibition that the city organised in 1887 on the initiative of Mayor Feliks Szlachtowski.

In 1908 the City Council decided to regulate the rebuilding and development of the suburbs. Designs submitted to a competition were partly carried out, and Błonia gained Focha Avenue and 3 Maja Avenue along its edges. The two avenues were laid out where the Rudawa river once flowed.

Józef Piłsudski's riflemen gathered on Błonia on 3 August 1914 and camped on the meadow while they waited for orders. On 6 August 1914 the Kompania Kadrowa (First Cadre Company) departed from the area known as Oleandry towards Kielce. On 6 October 1933 Józef Piłsudski, by then Marshal of Poland, reviewed a large cavalry parade on Błonia.

Pope John Paul II celebrated Masses on Błonia for hundreds of thousands of people during his pilgrimages to Poland in 1979 and 1983, and again in 1987. In 1983 he beatified Brother Albert Chmielowski and Father Rafał Kalinowski on the meadow. In 1997 about 1.5 million people attended the Mass that he celebrated there for the canonisation of Queen Jadwiga. Pope Benedict XVI, his successor, continued the tradition of Masses on Błonia during his visit to Krakow.

Access to Błonia and nearby stops

Błonia is open without restrictions, and dogs are welcome. The nearest public transport stops are Reymana, Instytut Reumatologii, Cichy Kącik, Cracovia Błonia, Park Jordana, Oleandry and Muzeum Narodowe.

Check the current details on the Municipal Greenery Authority website before your visit.

Jordan Park and the National Museum nearby

Jordan Park is about 450 m away in a straight line. The National Museum, Main Building is about 850 m away. The Norbertine Convent in Salwator is also about 850 m away. The Stained Glass Museum is about 1000 m away.

Błonia Meadow: questions visitors ask

Where is Błonia Meadow in Krakow?

Between Focha Avenue to the south and 3 Maja Avenue to the north. On the west, a short stretch of the Rudawa and Piastowska Street form the boundary of the meadow, and on the east it starts at Trzech Wieszczów Avenue.