Wawel Royal Castle

Ticket office:
April-June and September-October Mon-Fri 9am-4:45pm, Sat, Sun, holidays 9:30am-4:45pm
July-August Mon-Fri 9am-5:45pm, Sat, San, holidays 9:30am - 5:45pm
November-March Mon closed, Tue-Sat 9:15am-2:45pm, Sun, holidays 9:30am-2:45pm

Last admission one hour before closing. Free admission only with an entrance permit from the booking office

Tour booking (for groups and individual visitors):
Mon 9am-2pm, Tue-Sun 9am-4pm
Booking is obligatory for organised groups.

The reconstruction of the formerly Gothic Wawel Castle was carried out around 1502-1540. King Sigismund the Old (Zygmunt Stary) paid for his brainchild which turned the somewhat austere castle into a Renaissance palace residence of high artistic taste. Today, Wawel Castle is one of Poland’s largest and greatest museums. The entrance to the exhibitions seen during a visit to the chambers is situated in the eastern wing of the castle.

Royal Chambers

The rooms on the first floor house exhibits that are based on the original character and furnishing of the chambers. This floor used to be predominantly private royal apartments.

The second floor was known at times by its Italian name piano nobile. The State Rooms where the monarchs exercised their royal duties, were situated here. In these halls they entertained delegations, gave audiences, and sat in court. The south-eastern corner of this floor is taken by the chamber known as Under the Heads, or the Audience Hall from the sculpted and painted heads found along the ceiling beams. The chambers of the northern wing of the castle were rebuilt in the baroque style after the fire of 1595. One of the most beautiful – The Hall under the Birds – is situated where the northern wing meets the eastern wing. A real marvel at the other end of the northern wing is the largest of the castle’s chambers: the Senators’ Hall. This used to be the backdrop to great balls, receptions, and court festivities. In 1518, it saw the first royal wedding: of Sigismund the Old to Bona Sforza. Today it is especially famous for its tapestries.

State Rooms (2nd floor)
April – October: Tue-Fri 9:30am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm, tickets PLN 18/11
November – March: Tue-Sat 9:30am-4pm, Sun 10am-4pm (admission free), tickets PLN 16/9


Royal Private Apartments (1st floor)
April – October: Tue-Fri 9:30am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm, tickets PLN 25/19
November – March: Tue-Sat 9:30am-4pm, tickets PLN 21/16


Crown Treasury and Armoury

Among the most precious exhibits on the display are: the oldest and only preserved Coronation Insignium of the Piast Dynasty – a sword which most probably comes from the first half of the 13th century. Known as Szczerbiec, that is the Notched Sword, it has been used since the days of Ladislaus the Elbow-High as the coronation sword. Other exhibits to be found in the Treasury include the sword of Sigismund the Old (Zygmunt Stary) from the first half of the 16th century, used during knighting ceremonies, the standard of King Sigismund Augustus (1553), the sword of King Stephen Bathory being a gift from Pope Gregory XIII, the royal mace (buzdygan) from the latter half of the 16th century, jewels, gems, and valuables.

The armoury is situated in three rooms in the cellars: one Gothic and two Renaissance. One of Poland’s greatest collections of militaria is exhibited here, including Hussars’ armour and chain-mail, an assortment of shields and helmets, and plenty of pole weapons and firearms. Stored beside them in the cellar are cannon and mortar, as well as copies of the banners of the Teutonic Knights captured during the Battle of Grunwald in 1410.

Crown Treasury and Armoury
April – October: Mon 9:30am-1pm (admission free), Tue-Fri 9:30am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm tickets PLN 18/11
November – March: Tue-Sat 9:30am-4pm, tickets PLN 16/9


Lost Wawel

In the first part of the exhibition, you walk on a suspended catwalk, marvelling at the Rotunda Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, later referred to as the Church of St Felix and St Adauctus which most probably had already been built in the 10th century. Fragments of walls exposed nearby are believed to be remnants of the main residence of the Prince (palatium) – possibly from a time earlier than the Piast Dynasty – and a fragment of a mausoleum with a preserved skeleton.

The small finds coming from the excavations include a stone figurine from the 10th century, green and brown glazed floor tiles decorated with plant and geometrical motifs, and numerous coins with the oldest ones being denarii of Boleslaus the Bold (Bolesław Śmialy) and Ladislaus Herman (Władysław Herman) from the 11th century.

Lost Wawel
April – October: Mon 9:30am-1pm (admission free), Tue-Fri 9:30am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm, tickets PLN 8/5
November – March: Tue-Sat 9:30am-4pm, Sun 10am-4pm (admission free), tickets PLN 7/4


Oriental Art

The artefacts exhibited present a particular aspect of Polish heritage and artistic taste, shaped as a result of military and trade contacts with Near East countries. Thanks to these contacts, Poland was permeated by art works from Turkey, the Crimea, the Caucasus and Iran - carpets, silks, tapestries, weapons and armoury, ceremonial horse saddles and equestrian equipment which eventually became items of everyday and ceremonial use by noblemen and the royal court.

The most essential part of the exhibition, at present limited to the first floor of the castle’s western wing, comprises  trophies and artefacts connected with the Vienna campaign (12 September 1683), in which the Polish army commanded by the king Jan III Sobieski gained famous victory over the Turkish army commanded by Kara Mustapha.

Oriental Art
April – October: Tue-Fri 9:30am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm, tickets PLN 8/5
November – March: Tue-Sat 9:30am-4pm, tickets PLN 7/4


3+1 TICKET
From 1 April to 31 October each person who buys tickets to 3 exhibitions (State Rooms, Royal Private Apartments, Crown Treasury and Armoury) can get forth ticket for PLN 1 (Oriental Art or The Lost Wawel).


Booking required for organised groups. Last admission one hour before closing. Free admission only with an entrance permit from the booking office.

All Wawel exhibitions are closed on: 1 January, Easter (Sat, Sun), 1, 11 November, 24, 25 December

State Rooms, Royal Private Apartmnets and Oriental Art are also closed on On Easter Monday

Royal Private Apartmnets and Oriental Art are closed on 31 December

Information on temporary exhibitions: