Bursa Jerozolimska w Krakowie, Medieval student residence in Gołębia Street, Kraków, Poland.
Bursa Jerozolimska was a medieval student residence on Gołębia Street built with stone and brick walls surrounding an inner courtyard. The complex included a kitchen, common room, and library arranged around cloisters.
Cardinal Zbigniew Oleśnicki founded the residence in 1453 after abandoning his planned pilgrimage to Jerusalem. A fire destroyed the building in 1841, and its ruins were subsequently removed to make way for Collegium Novum.
The name reflects a cardinal's unfulfilled pilgrimage to Jerusalem, which he chose to commemorate through founding this residence. The students who lived here formed a close community that strengthened their ties to the university.
The residence was located on Gołębia Street within the historic core of Kraków's university district. Visitors should note that only historical traces remain at the site today, as the original building no longer stands.
A founding plaque documenting the cardinal's donation survived the building's destruction, and a copy now hangs in the Collegium Maius courtyard. The original rests in the University Museum, offering a direct connection to the residence's origins.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
