Small Weigh House, Medieval weighing station in Main Market Square, Kraków, Poland.
The Small Weigh House is a rectangular building standing between the Cloth Hall and the Church of St Adalbert in the Main Market Square. It served as an official weighing point for smaller goods such as soap and resin from its construction until the early 19th century.
The building dates to the late 15th century as a Gothic structure built during Kraków's medieval prosperity. Extensive modifications during the Renaissance transformed its appearance and demonstrate how the city's taste evolved over time.
The building displays Renaissance decorations with coats of arms and figures of classical heroes adorning its roof edge. These ornaments reflect the importance of commerce and the wealth that flowed through Kraków's medieval markets.
The remains of the building are now part of an underground museum where visitors can learn about medieval trade practices. It is easily accessible and sits directly in the busy Main Market Square of the city.
The first written record of the building dates to 1358, but archaeologists believe it may have existed earlier than that. This uncertainty makes it one of the city's oldest surviving trade structures.
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