Thieves Tower
Kraków Monuments
One of the three fully preserved towers on Wawel, in the western part of the hill. It was built in the 14th century in the line of the Gothic defensive wall. In 1853 the Austrians rebuilt it, adding a brick crenellation at the top, and in 1950-1951 its 18th-century appearance was restored. In 2014-2015 the tower was restored and its original hipped roof reconstructed. A prison dungeon survives in the underground part, and inside is a store of archaeological finds uncovered during excavations on Wawel.
History
The Thieves' Tower is one of three fully preserved towers on Wawel Hill. It rises above the western edge of the hill. It was built in the 14th century as part of the ring of Gothic defensive walls from the same period.
The cellar level housed a prison, and in the 16th century it was called the tower where wrongdoers were locked up. In that century it was damaged by fires and restored several times. A pointed, chamfered Gothic portal survives on the ground floor, and a prison dungeon below ground.
In 1853 the Austrians rebuilt the upper part of the tower: they gave it a flat roof and added brick crenellations. A year later they added a staircase, which was taken down in 1946. In 1950-1951, under the direction of Witold Minkiewicz, the tower was renovated and returned to its 18th-century appearance, and at the same time it was linked by a walkway to the reconstructed late medieval defensive wall.
The most recent restoration took place in 2014-2015. The hipped roof that originally covered the tower was then reconstructed. Today the interior is used as a store for archaeological finds excavated on Wawel Hill.
Did you know?
Since 1 May 2015 the Polish flag has flown permanently on the Thieves' Tower, as it does on the Senators' Tower.