Zamek Królewski na Wawelu – Państwowe Zbiory Sztuki
The former residence of the kings of Poland on Wawel Hill, with royal chambers, the Crown Treasury, the Armoury and the exhibition Wawel Zaginiony (Lost Wawel).
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Wawel was the seat of the rulers of Poland from the Middle Ages. Stone buildings already stood here in the 11th century, and around the turn of the 12th century a Romanesque residence with a defensive tower was built. In the 14th century Casimir the Great extended the castle for the needs of state administration, adding, among other things, the chapel of St Mary of Egypt, an arcaded courtyard wing and the rebuilt Łokietek Tower.
After the death of Alexander Jagiellon, Sigismund I the Old began a Renaissance reconstruction under the direction of Francesco Fiorentino: the northern wing was erected in 1507–1515, and the Sigismund Chapel in 1519–1533. Fires in 1536 and 1595 made reconstruction necessary, and under Sigismund III Vasa the castle acquired baroque elements. The Swedish occupation of 1655–1657 and a fire in 1702 caused further damage.
In 1796 Austrian troops occupied Wawel and set up barracks there, and in 1854–1856 part of the castle was rebuilt in the neo-Gothic style. After the Austrian army left the castle, restoration began in 1905–1911, led by Zygmunt Hendel and, in 1916–1939, by Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz. A museum institution was established at the castle in 1930, and in 1945 the castle ceased to be the residence of the head of state and was opened as a branch of the State Art Collections.
Today visitors see the Private Royal Apartments on the first floor, the Representative Royal Chambers with a collection of Turkish tents on the second floor, the Crown Treasury, the Armoury, and the Castle Underground with the exhibition “Wawel Zaginiony” (Lost Wawel) and the Lapidarium. Seasonally open are the Dragon’s Den (Smocza Jama) and the Sandomierz Tower (Baszta Sandomierska).
Highlights
- Representative Royal Chambers
- Private Royal Apartments with the porcelain cabinet
- Crown Treasury
- Armoury
- Lost Wawel and the Lapidarium in the castle underground
- Turkish tents
- Dragon’s Den
Permanent exhibitions
- Reprezentacyjne Komnaty Królewskie i Namioty Tureckie (piętro 2) – The castle’s representative interiors, with the Baroque hall and a collection of Turkish tents, saddles and shields.
- Prywatne Apartamenty Królewskie (piętro 1) – Private royal rooms with the porcelain cabinet and the exhibition “Wawel Odzyskany” (Recovered Wawel) in building no. 7.
- Skarbiec Koronny i Zbrojownia – Gold and silver vessels and decorations in the Crown Treasury, and armour, helmets and weapons in the Armoury.
- Founded
- 1945
- Operated by
- Zamek Królewski na Wawelu – Państwowe Zbiory Sztuki
Admission & discounts
| Adults | 47 zł |
|---|---|
| Reduced | 35 złholders of the Karta Dużej Rodziny, the Kraków Card and the Krakowska Karta Rodzinna 3+, and guardians of children aged 0–18; the full list of eligible persons is in the visiting regulations |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 6 · Children aged 0–6 enter free of charge; a child’s carer may buy a reduced ticket (one child – one carer, two children – two carers), and a fourth child aged 7–18 enters free of charge. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –In the programme “Kraków dla Rodziny N”, a person with disabilities with a carer enters free of charge. |
| Groups | –Group visits require booking at least 14 days in advance (rezerwacja@wawelzamek.pl, tel. +48 12 422 16 97); groups of up to 30 people; for groups of more than 8 people headsets are compulsory. |
| Families | –Family discounts do not apply to guided routes. |
| Castle – floor 1 (Private Royal Apartments), standard ticket | 57 złReduced ticket PLN 43. |
| Castle – floor 2 (Representative Royal Chambers and Turkish Tents), standard ticket | 57 złReduced ticket PLN 43. |
| Castle – floors 1 and 2, combined ticket with audio guide | 95 złReduced ticket PLN 71. |
| Crown Treasury, standard ticket | 47 złReduced ticket PLN 35. |
| Armoury, standard ticket | 47 złReduced ticket PLN 35. |
| Castle Underground (Lost Wawel and Lapidarium) with audio guide, standard ticket | 47 złReduced ticket PLN 35. |
| Dragon’s Den (seasonal) | 15 złReduced ticket PLN 10. |
| Sandomierz Tower (seasonal) | 9 złReduced ticket PLN 7. |
| Audio guide | 14 złIncluded in the ticket to the castle, the Castle Underground and the Międzymurze (Inter-Wall Passage). |
| Guided tour for groups – one exhibition (guide in Polish) | 160 złFor a group of up to 30 people, plus admission tickets; in a foreign language PLN 190; for up to five exhibitions, up to PLN 800 or PLN 950 respectively. |
Free admission: Selected exhibitions are free on Mondays (tickets issued at the ticket offices on the day of the visit, without booking, until sold out, up to 5 people per person collecting) and in the campaign “Darmowy Listopad” (Free November).
Online tickets are released a month in advance, and some are sold on the day of the visit; once online tickets have sold out, they can be bought at the ticket offices. Prices given for individual routes apply per person.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The routes on the first and second floors of the castle are accessible along their full length, including for people using electric wheelchairs: a lift leads to the arcades, and platforms help on the stairs. The lift is operated with the help of a member of staff, who should be asked in advance at the booking office, the information point or the ticket office. Three free wheelchairs are available to borrow. Visits by people with disabilities can be arranged by phone at +48 12 422 51 55 ext. 219, where transport is also ordered. Guide dogs may be brought in according to a separate procedure. The audio guide is available in Polish Sign Language (PJM) for some exhibitions. On selected Wednesdays from 15:00–17:00 “quiet hours” apply, and noise-reducing headphones are available on the routes. Parking spaces for people with disabilities are marked on ul. Bernardyńska (6 spaces), ul. Smocza (3), ul. Koletek (3) and in several other places. The site has a defibrillator.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 6 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
The castle has a family audio-guide route in the Representative Royal Chambers and the Crown Treasury, and children up to the age of 6 enter free of charge. The hill offers rooms for mothers with children.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Wawel (ul. Gertrudy)
Tram: Wawel stop (ul. Gertrudy). Bus: Stradom stop (ul. Dietla), about 5 minutes on foot, or Jubilat stop (al. Krasińskiego), about 10 minutes on foot.
By car
Paid parking · 5-min walk to the entrance
Paid underground car park at Plac Na Groblach (about 5 minutes on foot); on-street parking on ul. Smocza and ul. Bernardyńska is paid daily 9:00–22:00. Coach park at ul. Powiśle 11 (about 5 minutes on foot). Park & Ride car parks are also available.
- Accessible parking
Wawel lies in the Old Town, about 10 minutes on foot from the Main Market Square and about 20 minutes from the railway stations. Bicycles may not be taken up the hill; racks are at both gates.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Coat check
Visitor service points, ticket offices and a cloakroom operate on the hill; there is a shop with publications.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (PL, EN, UK, DE, FR, IT, ES) |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The audio guide is recommended from the age of 12; the recording lasts about 20 minutes longer than the expected visiting time. Guided tours for individual visitors follow a separate timetable, and places are limited. Groups must book a guide in advance. |
