Attraction

Franciscan Basilica in Krakow: Wyspiański windows and hours

The Franciscan church on plac Wszystkich Świętych, four minutes from the Main Market Square, with stained glass and wall paintings by Stanisław Wyspiański. Entry is free; visiting hours are short, and the church closes to visitors during services.

The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi stands at pl. Wszystkich Świętych 5, about four minutes' walk from the Main Market Square. Locally it is simply the Franciscan church (kościół Franciszkanów). It is a working church, entry is free, and the reason to come is Stanisław Wyspiański's stained glass and wall paintings, above all the window of God the Father over the west entrance.

The Franciscan church on plac Wszystkich Świętych

The hosts' full name is the Basilica and Friary of St Francis of Assisi of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual. The church is used for the liturgy: Masses, services and confession. In 1920 it was raised to the rank of a minor basilica. Karol Wojtyła, later Pope John Paul II, came here to pray from his student days, from 1938, and almost every day after he moved into the neighbouring Bishop's Palace in 1964. Between the basilica and the Bishop's Palace, with its famous papal window, lies a square.

History of the Franciscan Basilica since the 13th century

The church dates from the 13th century; as the Franciscans write, the shape and exact dates of the original building are still a matter of scholarly debate. The cloisters were completed in 1439 thanks to Cardinal Zbigniew Oleśnicki, whose coat of arms is on the east keystone. The church burned during the Swedish Deluge in 1655 and its interior was rebuilt in the Baroque style. After the great fire of Krakow in 1850, rebuilding dragged on into the early 20th century and changed the style of the interior to neo-Gothic and pseudo-Romanesque, but it also produced Wyspiański's paintings and windows.

Wyspiański worked on the wall paintings in 1895 and made corrections in 1896-1897, but never finished them; according to the Franciscans, his art was too innovative for the commission overseeing the restoration. He designed the windows in 1897-1902; the glass was made in Innsbruck and fitted in the chancel in 1899 and in the west window in 1904.

Wyspiański's stained glass in the Franciscan Basilica

God the Father: the window "Bóg Ojciec wydobywający świat z chaosu" (God the Father Bringing the World out of Chaos), also called "Stań się" (Let It Be), the Creation of the World or God the Father, fills the west window above the organ gallery. You see it from inside, facing the entrance, and its colours change with the time of day and year and with the light. The Franciscans consider it Wyspiański's finest window, and it was admired by Cardinal Karol Wojtyła.
The chancel windows: to the right of the high altar St Francis receiving the stigmata, to the left Blessed Salomea, and four side windows showing the elements of fire and water. The central window behind the altar is not by Wyspiański but to a design by Bernard Rice of 1899.
The wall paintings: Polish flowers (lilies, poppies, pansies, forget-me-nots, sunflowers and others) cover the chancel, the transept and the start of the nave. At the back of the chancel is a gallery of sixteen Piast eagles, which had a particular meaning in the time of the Partitions, and the vault is covered with golden stars.
John Paul II's pew: his favourite pew, on the left side of the nave just by the west entrance, carries a metal plaque reading "Tu modlił się Ojciec Święty Jan Paweł II" (Here the Holy Father John Paul II prayed).

The visiting rules do not say whether some other works are in the area open to visitors. The fourteen Stations of the Cross were painted for the church by Józef Mehoffer and hang in the Chapel of the Passion; according to the Franciscans, the commission made up for his loss of the stained-glass competition to Wyspiański. The same chapel holds a faithful copy of the Turin Shroud, blessed by John Paul II and received in the Vatican on 19 March 2003. The remains of Blessed Salomea rest in her chapel, with a small coffin of the bones of Prince Bolesław the Chaste in a niche beside the altar, and the cloisters hold a gallery of 35 portraits of the bishops of Krakow, John Paul II among them.

Franciscan Basilica opening hours and free entry

Entry to the basilica is free. It is open to visitors on weekdays from 10:00 to 16:00 and on Sundays and holidays in the afternoon: the Franciscans give 13:00-15:00 in their visitor rules and 13:15-16:00 on the home page of their website, so the safest time to come is between 13:15 and 15:00. During the liturgy and religious concerts it is closed to visitors: on the second Sunday of the month, except in July, August and September, there is a Mass in Spanish in the basilica at 14:30, so the visiting time that day is shorter. Visitors may see the main nave, the side aisles (without the Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows and the sacristy) and part of the cloisters. The Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows is for prayer only and is not open to sightseeing. Keep quiet and dress modestly, with shoulders and back covered; do not eat or drink, bring animals, smoke or use mobile phones. We do not guide in the basilica. Details checked in October 2026; confirm them on the website of the Franciscan Friary.

Getting to the Franciscan church from the Main Market Square

The basilica stands on plac Wszystkich Świętych in the Old Town. On foot it is about four minutes from the Main Market Square, about six minutes from Collegium Maius and about 11 minutes from Wawel Castle.

Tips for a short visit to the Franciscan church

This is a short visit. Plan it within the visiting hours, which are tight on Sundays, and remember that a service closes the church to visitors. To see the God the Father window, stand in the nave and turn back towards the entrance. From here it is a natural next step towards Wawel, where our page on Wawel Cathedral covers tickets and opening hours.

Franciscan Basilica Krakow: frequently asked questions

Who made the stained glass in the Franciscan church in Krakow?

Stanisław Wyspiański designed the windows in 1897-1902, apart from the central chancel window, which is to a design by Bernard Rice. The glass was made in Innsbruck.

Is the Franciscan Basilica free to visit?

Yes, there is no charge. Sightseeing is possible only during visiting hours and not during services.

When is the Franciscan Basilica open to visitors?

From 10:00 to 16:00 on weekdays. For Sundays and holidays the Franciscans give two times (13:00-15:00 and 13:15-16:00), so come between 13:15 and 15:00. The church cannot be visited during the liturgy and religious concerts.