About St. Mary’s Basilica
Highlights of St. Mary’s Basilica
- Visit the busy Old Town Market Square of Krakow and witness the momentous 260-feet tall St. Mary’s Basilica church boasting of a rich Polish Gothic style architecture.
- Marvel at the meticulously crafted interiors of St. Mary’s Basilica Krakow that are adorned with ornate paintings, carvings, frescoes, tiles or brightly coloured decorations.
- Stand in awe looking at the intricate Biblical figures carved in oak and linen wood on the altarpiece and other figurines portraying the life of Mary with Jesus on the side panels.
- Witness the world’s largest Gothic altarpiece at the St. Mary’s Basilica Krakow that has been carved from wood in a triptych three-panel design.
- Do not miss listening to the ‘Hejnal Mariacki’ which is a tune played by the trumpeter of the church to commemorate a Polish bugler who warned the city of a Mongol attack.
- Observe the two famous St. Mary's Church towers that are of mismatching heights on the front facade of the church and discover the history behind their construction.
History of St. Mary’s Basilica
The history of St. Mary’s Basilica Krakow dates back to the 13th century when the church was first constructed on the remaining foundations of a former Romanesque church. It was consecrated in 1320 and completed in 1347 but was rebuilt between 1355 and 1365 with new renovations. The church has undergone several reconstructions in both its interior and exterior over the centuries. The presbytery was extended plus tall stained glass windows and a new vault were built in the late 14th century. The church underwent a major redecoration during the years 1477- 1489 when the breathtaking altarpiece designed by Veit Scott was installed. During the 18th century, Baroque aesthetics were installed in St. Mary’s Basilica Krakow and decorations like polychrome murals designed by Jan Matejko were set up in the 19th century. The two iconic towers adorning the frontal facade of St. Mary’s Basilica in Krakow have a gruesome history that explains why the towers are of unequal heights. According to history, two brothers were bestowed with the erection of the towers. While the younger brother realized that the older sibling’s South Tower is taller than his North Tower, he murdered his sibling and commissioned the placement of a cupola on the tower thus stopping its construction. But, caught in guilt, the younger sibling killed himself on the day of consecration of the church.
St.Mary’s Basilica Towers
The Northern Tower of St. Mary’s Basilica in Krakow, also known as Bugle Call Tower or the Excubiarum Watchtower, stands 82 metres tall and plays the well-known bugle call. There are nine storeys in the tower and each storey is separated from the other by stone ledges. The top of the tower is crowned with a Gothic-style cupola made in 1478 by Maciej Heringk. The cupola has a central pointed steeple surrounded by eight smaller steeples. On entering the tower, you can see a bronze plaque of King Jan III Sobieski and a huge d-tone clock bell from 1530.
The 69 metres tall South Tower holds the bells of St. Mary church and hence it is also known as the bell tower. The tower is capped with a late-Renaissance cupola which has an ellipsoidal dome placed on an octagonal drum and crowned with an openwork lighthouse hollow. Four smaller cupolas are placed on the corners on a hexagonal foundation. The stories of the South Tower are also separated by ledges and windows like the North Tower. You can visit the Renaissance chapel of the Conversion of St. Paul in the tower and you can also see the famous bell ‘for the dying’ outside the chapel window.
Organs At St. Mary’s Basilica
- The Great Organ of St. Mary’s Basilica in Krakow has 62 stops, out of which 8 possess historic value and originate from the older organs of St. Mary’s church.
- The refurbished Great Organ is played using the 4-manual console by which you can also play the chancel organ simultaneously. It is easily operated with the Setzer stop action control system while the new electronic system lets you record and replay the music.
- The Great Organ is used in Sunday prayers and during the collective Parish celebrations.
- St. Mary’s Basilica in Krakow owns a royal 14-stop choral organ built by Kazimierz Żebrowski in 1912 that was reinstalled in the church on December 15, 2018 after a major restoration by the Rieger Orgelbau Company.
- The organ is placed in such a location that it will always be the musical source for canonical hours, wedding ceremonies and small liturgies in the presbytery.
- The gracious sonority of the 14-stop organ enthrals the music senses of organists and anyone who loves and knows music. When complemented by romantic voices, the organ creates various shades of divine music like soothing pianissimo and majestic basilica forte.
- The aisle organ in St. Mary’s Basilica Krakow is a well-preserved 8-stop positive organ from the end of the 19th century built by Tomasz Fall.
- It was used in the Friday Novenas, Way of the Cross prayer service and several other celebrations of the Holy Cross.
Know Before You Visit St. Mary’s Basilica
Location: Plac Mariacki 5, 31-042 Kraków, Poland
Timings: Monday to Saturday – 11:30 AM to 6 PM Sunday and holidays – 2 PM to 6 PM
Best Time to Visit: The best time to visit St. Mary’s Basilica Krakow is during the morning hours as soon as the church opens. It is recommended to time your arrival around 11:50 AM when the famous altarpiece of the church is opened with a short ceremony. Visit the church during the months of March to May when the spring weather is pleasant and ideal for sightseeing.
St.Mary’s Basilica Krakow is located centrally in Krakow Old Town and can be easily reached from the Krakow Glowny railway station.
By Train: Board a tram on Line 3 from Krakow Glowny station to reach St. Mary’s Basilica in 10 minutes.
By Bus: Take a bus on line 610 to reach St. Mary’s Basilica from Krakow railway station.
By Car: St. Mary’s Basilica is just 4 minutes away from Krakow Glowny station by road. You can drive your car or hire a taxi from the railway station to the church.
St. Mary's Basilica Church Tour and Tickets FAQs
How old is St. Mary’s Basilica?
St. Mary’s Basilica Krakow is presently 675 years old. The initial foundation dates back to the 13th century when the church was founded in 1222, consecrated in 1320 and completed in 1347. But it was built again in the 14th century between 1355 and 1365 and the main body construction was over by 1397.
What is special about St. Mary’s Basilica?
St. Mary’s Basilica Krakow is an iconic landmark and a representative symbol of the city that is worth visiting for its marvellous Polish Gothic style architecture. This brick Gothic church features a splendid 15th century 12-metres long altarpiece designed by Veit Stoss which is the largest in Europe. The two towers adorning the exterior of the church are major highlights since they are made of different heights and architecture.
What is the best time to visit St. Mary’s Basilica?
The best time to visit St. Mary’s Basilica in Krakow is in the morning as soon as the church opens. If you wish to witness the small ceremony performed during the opening of the altarpiece, time your visit around 11:50 AM. In case you are visiting the church on Sunday, go by 2:10 PM to take part in the same ritual.
What are the different architectural styles used to build St. Mary’s Basilica?
St. Mary’s Basilica in Krakow flaunts an authentic Polish Gothic architecture that also served as model for building many other cathedrals. The two main towers in the front facade of the church are of uneven heights and feature different architectural styles. The North Tower is taller and is constructed in Gothic style while the South Tower is built in Renaissance style.
Who built St. Mary’s Basilica?
St. Mary’s Basilica Krakow was initially founded in 1221-22 by Iwo Odrowaz, the Bishop of Krakow. It was rebuilt in the 14th century during the reign of Casimir III, the Great and was completed in 1347. The major altarpiece of the church was built by Veit Stoss while some of the monumental murals were designed by Jan Matejko, Poland’s famous history painter.