Overview

Rynek Glowny, is the largest medieval square in Europe. In the centre is the Cloth Hall and on the square are churches, fine building which have been converted into restaurants and shops. It's stunningly impressive.

Transport & Parking

Rynek Glowny is about a 10 minute walk from Krakow's main railway station. There are several trams which stop close by. I didn't use the trams when I was in Krakow, but I saw plenty of them and they all appeared modern and had a wheelchair sign by one of the doors. The main square is pedestrianised but taxis are plentiful and could stop nearby.

Access

Rynek Glowny is the largest medieval square in Europe and it is huge. The square was busy when I visited, on a Monday afternoon in June, and had lots of tourists but because of it large it was reasonably easy to avoid the crowds. The square itself is level and step free. There are large, flat cobblestones which were generally level, rather than protruding. I personally found it quite easy to walk around with my crutch in this area. However, I went on a hot, sunny day and I personally would not like to try to negotiate this large open space in the snow and ice. Also a couple of local people I was talking to, who had no obvious disabilities, said to me that the area is difficult to walk round in the rain. On the square are a few notable buildings. As I only went into 2 of them I will review them here. Cloth Hall In the middle of the square is the Cloth Hall. It's huge. There is step free access to the ground floor through open archways at either end. Inside there are stalls either side selling crafts and tourist souvenirs. The stalls are at standing height. The building has nice architecture and features so it is well worth walking through even if you don't want to shop. the Cloth Hall is free to visit. St Mary's Church St Mary's Church, is one of the churches in the main square, and it is recognisable by its unmatching twin towers. On the hour, every hour, a trumpeter plays a short tune from the taller tower. I was in the square when this happened, I was not standing too close to the church and I struggled to hear the trumpeter, due to the general noise in the square and possibly the wind direction that day. I would therefore suggest trying to be near the church on the hour if you want to hear it. I went inside the church. There are 2 entrances to the church, one for people wanting to worship, and admission for them is free. However, they only have access to the back of the church as the front of the church is cordoned off. If you are facing the church's twin towers, walk round to the right. You will come into a courtyard. The visitors' entrance to the church is on the left. However before you go in you need to purchase a ticket. the ticket office is directly opposite the entrance, see photo. There is a single step to get inside and the counter is at standing height. When I visited tickets were 10 Poland złoty, about £2. The church has step free access with ramps at entrance and exit and step free elsewhere. There are fixed pews but if you make towards the front altar there are benches, without back support, which were easier for me to use.

Toilets

I didn't use the toilet while I was there and I didn't see any signs for any toilets accessible or otherwise.

Staff

Apart from buying my ticket for St Mary's and showing my ticket at the entrance I didn't interact with anyone. However, my brief experiences were fine. Everyone spoke English.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

Rynek Glowny is the location of the Christmas market. It's also from here that the horse carriage rides depart, however these were not accessible for me. The square is popular and very busy, and you may want to factor this in when you think about the timing of your visit. It's well worth seeing as the square is very impressive and beautiful.

Photos