Kanonia Street, Medieval street plaza in Old Town, Warsaw, Poland.
Kanonia Street is a small triangular square in Warsaw's Old Town, tucked directly behind St. John's Cathedral and enclosed by rows of old townhouses. It connects Jezuicka Street to the courtyard entrance of the Royal Castle, forming a compact passage through this part of the historic center.
In 1406, Duke Janusz I gave this land to thirteen canons who relocated with their chapter from Czersk to Warsaw. The square, like much of the Old Town, was almost entirely destroyed during World War II and later rebuilt from historic records and paintings.
The name Kanonia comes from the canons who once lived around this square, and that connection to religious life is still readable in the space today. The Virgin Mary statue and the old bell placed near the cathedral give the square a tone that differs from the busier streets nearby.
The square is easy to reach on foot from the Old Town Market Place, sitting right behind the cathedral and close to the Royal Castle. Early morning is the best time to visit, as the narrow space can feel crowded when tour groups pass through.
The narrowest building on the square measures only about 2 meters (6.5 feet) across, a result of a builder running out of funds mid-construction. It is so thin that many visitors walk past it without noticing it stands as a separate building at all.
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