Some time ago we went to Krakow just to ‘go underground’. An inconspicuous journey deep into the market turned out to be an interesting journey back in time to the Middle Ages! We invite you for a tour of the most innovative (and at the same time quite classic) museum in the capital of Lesser Poland. In professional guidebooks you would probably read that ‘tradition meets modernity here’. Are you curious what it looks like?
Are you looking for an idea to spend your free time? Check out our section: Best things to do in Krakow!
Rynek Underground, Krakow – where is the entrance?
Do you know this place from the photo? Even if you’ve never been to Krakow, we bet you know Sukiennice (either from postcards, from Google Graphics, or from Instagram photos of traveling influencers). It is in them that you will find the entrance to the Rynek Underground. Exactly opposite St. Mary’s Church.
Rynek Underground – Museum of Krakow – attractions
When you stand at the threshold of the exhibition you may have a little dissonance. On one side you see a modern space with lots of screens, projectors and lights. Just like below.
On the other hand, it is full of wooden elements, historic exhibits and makeshift tools from hundreds of years ago. You have a strange feeling that you are in some secret heritage park or underground shelter. Or that someone put you in a time machine at the entrance and sent you back centuries. A bit weird, a bit scary. But it’s definitely interesting! Below, for example, the interior of a medieval blacksmith’s hut. You can look into it and see whether you would like to shoe your horse there if you were a knight or a peasant.
Walking under the market square, you will have the opportunity to see a lot of archaeological excavations in the categories of ‘everyday objects’, ‘jewellery’, ‘weapons” and many others. They lie and wait for you in such cases.
For those who are passionate about history or simply like to broaden their horizons, the creators of the exhibition have prepared very detailed descriptions of attractions. You don’t have to read them, but it’s worth it. Some curiosities will definitely surprise you.
Spoiler alert! Walking carelessly through the glass corridors of Rynek Underground, you may come across… a cemetery. Imagine the surprise of the Travel-Mates team when the following exhibit appeared under our feet. We were petrified and almost ended up like skeleton below. That was quite terrible.
Patryk found one of the most interesting attractions of the Rynek Underground. It will surely appeal to both children and adults. It is a scale that will not only give you body weight, but also convert it to various units.
And so it turned out that Patryk weighs only 1 hundredweight, but as much as 27 pounds. There is no result in kilograms, so we assume that this is the ideal weight for a man like him. 🙂
What else awaits you in the Rynek Underground? Old cloth and commercial buildings, historic infrastructure, reconstructions of settlements, old town model and many others. In addition, you can also watch film screenings in projection rooms. And for the youngest tourists, we recommend the children’s zone with a theater.
Krakow Underground – tickets and opening hours
- Normal ticket – PLN 36.
- Reduced ticket – PLN 32.
- Family ticket (4 people, up to 2 are adults) – PLN 72.
- Group ticket (normal) – 32 PLN/person.
- Reduced group ticket (reduced) – 26 PLN/person.
The opening hours of the Rynek Underground are as follows:
- Monday: 10:00 – 19:00.
- Tuesday: 10:00 – 14:00.
- Wednesday-Thursday: 10-00 – 19:00.
- Friday-Sunday: 10:00 – 20:00.
- Don’t forget that the museum is closed on the second Monday of each month.
Rynek Underground – free tickets
How much do you think we paid for visiting the Underground Market in Krakow? Our favorite amount, PLN 0. You can also ‘go underground’ for free – all you have to do is go there on Tuesday. This is a day of free sightseeing for everyone.
Krakow Underground – visiting time
Individual sightseeing will take you at least an hour.
Krakow Underground – how to get?
We probably won’t surprise anyone: Rynek Underground is located on Krakow’s Main Square (actually a few meters below). You will go down to the underground through the Cloth Hall from the side of St. Mary’s Church. This is where the entrance is – you can find the exact location at the bottom of this post or by typing ‘Rynek Podziemny’ in Google Maps.
You can get to the Market Square by car, bus, tram or train. If you choose public transport, you will have the following stops close by: Teatr Słowackiego, Stary Kleparz, Poczta Główna, Teatr Bagatela, Filharmonia and Dworzec Główny Zachód. If you decide to take the train, get off at the Kraków Główny station – only a few minutes’ walk separates you from the Krakow Underground.
Krakow Underground – tips
- The ‘Krakow Underground’ Museum occupies as much as 6,000 square meters. It is really huge, isn’t it?
- We don’t want to discourage you from visiting, but did you know that hundreds of years ago, on the site of the current Main Square, there was a huge cemetery? During the archaeological excavations, the researchers found a lot of human remains. Some of them became exhibits in the Krakow Underground Museum. We documented one skeleton in one of the photos above.
- Visiting the Rynek Underground is a bit like visiting a 4DX cinema. In addition to the fact that you move in time and feel like you are walking through a medieval town or village, you also hear all kinds of sounds and images from those time. So you will hear merchants at the market or the sounds of a great fire. You will also see a projection on the steam screen.
- Be sure to read the interesting facts on the interactive screens. We learned from them, for example, for what disgusting crimes, according to medieval theories, women were supposed to go to hell. Do you want to know? Well, it was a grave sin to put on make-up and have too many clothes.
Krakow Underground – reviews
- Patrix – 7/10. I’ve heard a lot about visiting Krakow Underground. I finally got to see them. The ruins of the city are impressive. I can feel the history in them. The blacksmith’s hut also made a big impression. This is what history tastes like!
- Wiolczix – 7/10. The museum is very modern, kept in perfect condition. What I like is definitely the slightly mysterious atmosphere that prevails inside. If you just want to enter and see what ‘these famous undergrounds’ look like, but you don’t feel the need to explore the knowledge about the city of Krakow – you will definitely like the decor, lights and exhibits. If you want to deepen your historical knowledge about the city and are looking for lots of curiosities – this is also the place for you. At every step you will find descriptions, screens, videos, etc. I give only 7, because ‘there is nothing to complain about’, but also nothing impressed me. Nevertheless, I strongly recommend it.
Rynek Underground – frequently asked questions
How long does it take to visit the Rynek Underground (Underground Market Square)?
The duration of visiting the Underground Market Square in Krakow is approximately 1-2 hours. A cursory viewing of the exhibition at a quick pace may take you about 60 minutes. However, if you want to thoroughly familiarize yourself with each exhibit and its description and see all the films in the screening rooms, reserve about 2 hours for this attraction.
How much does a ticket to the underground in Krakow cost?
A regular ticket to visit the Underground Market in Krakow costs PLN 36, and a reduced ticket – PLN 32. On Tuesdays, entry is free. Krakow cost?
How to visit the underground in Krakow?
To visit the Underground Market Square in Krakow, simply purchase the appropriate ticket and then go to Rynek Główny 1. The entrance to the Museum is in the Cloth Hall (vis-à-vis St. Mary’s Church).
When was the Underground Market in Krakow opened?
The Main Market Square Underground Museum in Krakow was opened on September 24, 2010. Work on its construction began in 2005 and cost PLN 38 million.
