St. Adalbert's church

St. Adalbert's Church is a stone structure on Kraków's Market Square with a round dome and white exterior walls that blend different architectural periods. The building sits noticeably lower than the surrounding square and displays Romanesque features with Baroque elements added in later centuries.

The building was founded around 1001, making it older than the Market Square itself, which later developed around the church. Over the centuries, it was rebuilt several times and enriched with Baroque elements while its medieval foundations remained underneath.

The church is named after Saint Adalbert, a missionary from the 10th century whose legacy shaped the religious life of the region. Inside, Baroque decorations from the 18th century show how later generations added their own artistic touch to the building.

Access to the basement with an exhibition about Market Square history is possible from May through September. The best time to explore is during quieter hours, away from the peak crowds at the square itself.

The church floor sits roughly two meters below the current Market Square level, a result of the square being gradually raised over centuries. This difference makes the church a window into the earlier landscape of the city and shows how the area physically transformed over time.