Wielopolski Mansion

This mansion – called “a palace” in Polish – was built in the first half of the 16th century by the Hetman, Jan Tarnowski, as an elegant Renaissance residence. Windows with characteristic divisions and stone frames and a crenellated parapet wall survive from that period. The mansion was redeveloped around the middle of the 17th century at the behest of the new owners of the mansion: the Wielopolski magnate family. The impressive hallway and stairs leading to the first floor, as well as portals and ceilings date from this period. The Palace remained the property of the Wielopolskis until the tragic fire of the city in 1850. After a makeshift rebuilding of the burnt interiors, the building housed, among other things, an elegant café and a ballroom.

In 1864, the Palace was purchased by the Municipality of Kraków as headquarters for the Municipal Offices. The ballroom on the second floor was at that time replaced by the elegant Assembly Hall designed by Filip Pokutyński. Early in the 20th century, following the major geographical expansion of the city and following the concept of Greater Kraków, it was necessary to expand the Municipal Office accordingly and give it a radical rebuilding which was completed in 1913 to the design of Jan Rzymkowski. New wings of the complex in Poselska Street were also built at that time. The rooms used for official functions were decorated in historicist style in the spirit of the Viennese Art Nouveau making use of motives taken from folk art. In 1926, the Main Assembly Hall was consumed by fire yet was meticulously restored within the space of several months, respecting the original designs, but at the same time embellishing them in Art Déco style, fashionable at the time.