Town Hall Tower in Krakow: tickets, hours and the view

The Town Hall Tower is the brick and stone tower that stands on its own on Krakow's Main Market Square. It is all that is left of the town hall that ran the city for centuries, and today it is a branch of the Museum of Krakow. You climb through four floors of exhibition rooms to a view of the square from just under the spire.

What is the Town Hall Tower in Krakow?

The tower is more than 70 metres tall and built of brick and stone. Broad steps lead up to the door between two stone lions, brought here from the palace park in Pławowice. Inside, a staircase of 110 steps links five levels of a small exhibition about the old town hall, the city council and the townspeople of Krakow. The museum calls the tower one of the best-known symbols of the city, alongside the Cloth Hall and St. Mary's Basilica.

History of the Krakow Town Hall Tower

The first written mention of Krakow's town hall dates from 1316. It was the seat of the mayor, the city council and the courts, and monarchs were received here more than once. The building took its Gothic form in the middle of the 15th century: in 1454 the councillors brought a master named Jan from Toruń to work on the roof. A clock bought in Nuremberg was fitted to the tower in 1524, and a granary was added to the town hall between 1561 and 1563.

In 1680 lightning set the tower on fire and destroyed its spire and clock. The end came in 1820, when the town hall and the granary were pulled down and only the tower was left on the square. The town hall's cellars once held the city jail with a torture chamber, and next to it a cellar tavern known for beer brought from Świdnica. During the last major restoration, from 1962 to 1966, the vaults of the first floor were reconstructed and the cellars, filled in when the town hall was demolished, were repaired.

What to see inside the Town Hall Tower

• Ground floor: the former treasury and city archive, with a set of stonemasons' marks from 1444, the signatures of the craftsmen who built the tower.
• First floor: the grandest room in the tower, with a ribbed cross vault. The museum counts it among the finest Gothic interiors in Krakow.
• Second and third floors: displays about the city council and its offices, then about Krakow's townspeople. Three windows on the third floor give the first view of the city.
• Fourth floor: the old clock mechanism, with every part on show, and the main view of Krakow from glazed inner balconies just below the spire.
• The clock: since 2000 the clock on the tower has been radio-controlled, so it keeps exact time and switches between winter and summer time by itself.

Town Hall Tower tickets and opening hours

The tower opens only in season. In 2026 it is open from 8 March to 30 November, and it is closed on 1 and 11 November; the museum announces the dates each year. Opening hours are Monday 11:00 to 16:00 and Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. A standard ticket costs 22 PLN, a reduced ticket 16 PLN and a family ticket 44 PLN. You can buy them at the tower, at the museum's visitor centre or online, and a ticket is valid on the day of purchase.

Monday is the free day, but you still need a free pass and places are limited: passes are released online, and any that are left are handed out at the ticket desk on the day. The only way up is by stairs, narrow at the bottom and steep higher up, so the tower is not accessible to visitors with reduced mobility. There is no cloakroom or toilet inside, bags over 30 litres are not allowed, and once you leave you cannot go back in on the same ticket. Details checked in October 2026; confirm them on the Museum of Krakow website before you go.

How to get to the Town Hall Tower

The address is Rynek Główny 1, on the Main Market Square itself, so you will pass it on any walk through the Old Town. From St. Mary's Basilica it is about four minutes on foot across the square, and from Wawel Castle about a quarter of an hour. If you would rather see the Old Town sitting down, our electric cart tour of the Old Town covers the district.

Tips for climbing the Town Hall Tower

Do not expect an open terrace: the view is through windows and glazed balconies, which also means it works on a windy or rainy day. The staircase is narrow and a single group is enough to slow the climb, so allow a little extra time. If you plan to visit on a free Monday, get the pass online in advance. The tower is also part of the museum's combined Medieval Kraków route, which is an option if you plan to see more of its branches. For everything else on the square, read our guide to the Main Market Square.

Frequently asked questions

How many steps are there in the Town Hall Tower?

There are 110 steps to the highest floor open to visitors. The first flight is a narrow stone staircase inside the wall, and the upper flights are steep. There is no lift.

How much is a ticket to the Town Hall Tower?

A standard ticket costs 22 PLN, a reduced ticket 16 PLN and a family ticket 44 PLN (prices checked in October 2026). Monday is free with a pass.

Is the Town Hall Tower open in winter?

No. In 2026 the season runs from 8 March to 30 November, and the tower is closed over the winter. The museum publishes the dates of each new season on its website.

Is there a viewing terrace at the top?

No. You look out over the Main Market Square and the rooftops from glazed inner balconies on the fourth floor and from three windows on the floor below.

What happened to the rest of the town hall?

It was demolished in 1820, together with its granary. The tower was part of the building and is the only part that was kept.

Photo: Fred Romero, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.