Piwnica Świdnicka w Krakowie, Medieval beer cellar in Krakow, Poland
Piwnica Świdnicka is a medieval beer cellar located in the northeastern corner of Krakow's Town Hall basement with windows overlooking the Main Market Square. The space was renovated between 1961 and 1967 and reopened as the Ratuszowa Cafe.
King Kazimierz Jagiellonczyk withdrew the beer monopoly from city councilors in 1456, but Jan I Olbracht restored it in 1501. These shifts in control reflected the changing power dynamics of the city's trading privileges.
The cellar served as a meeting point for people from all walks of life during the 15th century, reflecting the social fabric of the city at that time.
The cellar is easily accessible in the city center and currently functions as a cafe and cultural space. Visitors will find it underground beneath the Main Market Square as part of the Town Hall complex.
The establishment received the Latin name 'spelunca latronum', meaning den of thieves, reflecting its rowdy reputation that had grown by the 18th century. This nickname hints at the wild character the place had developed over the centuries.
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