St. Adelbert's Church

06/22/2012 16:19

There is a very tiny building on the main square that often goes unnoticed by may tourists. It seems fairly insignificant when compared to the large Mariacki Cathedral or the Cloth Hall nearby. Nevertheless, this building has a history that predates many of the oldest structures in town. This is the church of św. Wojciech, or Saint Adalbert. The stone church is even older than the present market square on which it stands, dating back to the 11^th century. In addition, there was a wooden church here prior to the stone one. It was built in the 10^th century.

St. Adalbert’s is definitely small on the outside, but the inside feels even tinier, and fairly cramped. The floor lies below the level of the plaza. This is due to the fact that the square itself has been built up several feet over the centuries, as much as nearly three yards. Thus, you walk down into this church. As with all of the other churches in Krakow, this beautiful structure is not open just for the sake of tourists. Rather, mass takes place here regularly, and people often pop inside just to say a quick prayer. The contrast between the craziness on the outside and the tranquility on the inside can be startling; it is definitely a nice way to get away if you need a quick moment to yourself.