Rzeszowskie Piwnice

About the museum

The Rzeszów Cellars (Rzeszowskie Piwnice) are a system of former cellars and “earth shops” (sklepy ziemne) beneath the Market Square and neighbouring streets. The town was founded in 1354 under Magdeburg law, and beneath the townhouses storerooms were dug in soft loess; these protected goods from fire and theft and served as shelters during raids. What survives today includes a brick cross-rib vault, a stone portal and fragments of the original floor. During the Second World War the cellars sheltered escapees from the ghetto, and some earth shops were still in use in the 1970s.

Because of ground subsidence from the 1960s, securing works were carried out under the Market Square, completed in 2000. The Underground Tourist Route opened on 19 April 2001; at that time it measured 213 m and had 34 chambers and corridors. In 2007 it was extended to 396 m, uncovering remains of buildings from the 16th–18th centuries and traces of the great fire of the town in 1842.

In 2017–2021 the route was modernised as part of the project “Rzeszów Cellars – an interactive cultural institution”. Since reopening on 3 January 2022 it has offered a multimedia exhibition with films, sound, light and interactive stations. The institution operates within Rzeszów Estrada (Estrada Rzeszowska).

Highlights

• underground route 396 m long beneath the Market Square, at depths of 2.5 to 10 m
• preserved medieval features: cross-rib vault, stone portal and window
• multimedia exhibition with films, light and interactive stations
• “Interactive Legend” – a historical outdoor game for families with children
• 5D cinema with a multisensory film about the history of Rzeszów
• quiet hours for people sensitive to stimuli

Permanent exhibition

• Podziemna Trasa Turystyczna „Rzeszowskie Piwnice” – Multimedia route 396 m long beneath the Market Square, leading through medieval cellars and telling the history of Rzeszów from its founding in 1354 to the 20th century.

Founded

2001

Operated by

Estrada Rzeszowska

Admission & discounts

The basic prices (PLN 25 regular, PLN 20 reduced) apply to independent visits at weekends; a guided visit from Tuesday to Friday costs PLN 35 (regular) and PLN 30 (reduced). Holders of the Rzeszów Resident Card (Rzeszowska Karta Mieszkańca) may buy a ticket once a year for PLN 1. Advance booking of tickets is recommended.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials
• Audio description: no information

The only entrance is at level −1; a lift beside the door leads to the main foyer (the call button is at a height reachable from a wheelchair). The foyer has a ticket office with an induction loop, a toilet for people with disabilities with a baby-changing table, and the cinema. The route itself has more than 150 steps and its narrowest corridor is 70 cm wide, which is why people with limited mobility can use the virtual visit at the station next to the ticket office. Assistance dogs may stay only in the main foyer. Information is available in easy-to-read language.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Baby changing facilities

The “Interactive Legend” is a historical team game with puzzles, in which participants search for the treasure of Rzeszów. The toilet for people with disabilities has a baby-changing table.

Getting there & parking

The entrance to the route is in the town centre, beneath the Market Square, at Rynek 26. The institution has no car park of its own.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

Venue hire and event organisation: tel. +48 17 853 80 04. The cellars are also used as a venue for concerts and cultural events.

Plan your visit