Helena Modrzejewska National Old Theater in Kraków, Theatre in Market District, Krakow, Poland
The Stary Teatr is a neoclassical theater building in the historic center of Krakow with a facade inspired by the Medici palace in Florence. The multi-story structure contains a main stage plus a chamber stage and houses an interactive museum in medieval cellars dating from the 13th century in the basement.
In 1781 city authorities granted actor Mateusz Witkowski permission to begin regular performances for a monthly fee. After the Second World War the theater returned to Polish management and gained national status in 1991.
The name honors Helena Modrzejewska, a 19th-century Polish actress who gained international recognition and shaped theater in Krakow. Today visitors experience both classical works by Polish playwrights and modern productions performed on the two stages.
Tickets can be purchased through the official website, and the interactive museum in the historic cellars is open to visitors. The season runs from September to June, and the venue sits centrally in the city center near the market square.
The medieval cellars beneath the theater date from the 13th century and were later transformed into an interactive museum. Despite heavy damage during the Second World War the building remained largely functional and reopened immediately after the conflict ended.
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