Apartments Rynek Główny is a fantastic base for exploring Krakow - everything is within reach from here! The Main Market Square is a place that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime, and it's certainly worth staying here, even if just for a short while.
Just a few steps from the Apartments, you'll find St. Mary's Basilica, the Town Hall, and the Cloth Hall. It's also a short distance to Wawel Castle and Krakow's museums. Nearby, there are plenty of excellent restaurants, bars, and cafes.
Each of our apartments is a separate unit, ensuring guests' privacy and freedom. We are committed to making our guests feel at home and making the most of their stay in Krakow.
Building History
The Szara Kamienica was built at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries when Krakow was rising from ruins and rebuilding its power. Even then, it stood out in the center of Krakow as a grand, brick residence of a wealthy townsman. In the 14th century, it may have belonged to Mikołaj Wierzynek the Elder, one of the city's wealthiest patricians and a close friend of King Casimir the Great. Legend has it that the building got its nickname from Sara, Wierzynek's beloved.
Over the years, the building passed into the hands of increasingly powerful owners. During the Renaissance, it likely came into the possession of the Zborowski family - one of the most influential noble families of the 16th century, whose name commanded respect throughout the Commonwealth. Later, it was owned by other noble families, and under the Zebrzydowski family, it was transformed into a grand early Baroque palace with a representative hall, decorative ceilings, and modern solutions that reflected the hosts' ambitions. Unfortunately, this state of affairs was short-lived - after the Swedish Deluge, the entire city, along with the palace, began to fall into ruin.
After the turbulent period of the Swedish Deluge, the building came into the hands of the Czartoryski family. The family rented out the building and carried out a series of modernizations, restoring its good reputation. When Franciszek Żeleński became the owner in 1787, he could proudly host Stanisław August Poniatowski within its walls.
In 1794, the building once again found itself at the center of great history - it housed the official headquarters of Tadeusz Kościuszko's staff.
After the partitions, the building fell into decline - the changing governments of successive owners, its transformation into barracks, and later use by the Austrians left their mark. In 1846, the building once again became the seat of the National Government of the Krakow Uprising.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the building regained its splendor thanks to the Szarski family, and its interiors were adorned with polychromes by Józef Mehoffer, which can still be admired on the ceiling of one of the ground floor rooms. In 1936, the building was listed in the Register of Krakow's Monuments.
The Szara Kamienica has withstood everything - wars, the Swedish Deluge, and numerous changes of ownership. Today, it still stands by the Market Square - like a stone chronicle that remembers medieval feasts, noble pride, and national uprisings. After a period of post-war neglect, it has been restored and today is once again one of the most valuable buildings on the Market Square.
