The Palace of Cracow Bishops-National Museum in Kielce

The Palace of Cracow Bishops, constructed on Bishop Jakub Zadzik’s initiative in the years 1637 – 1641 is a brilliant and valuable example of Polish residences from the Waza epoch. Although there were certain redecorations made in 19th C., the palace maintained its original shape, elevation decorations and its original interior decor. Since 1971 it has been a branch of the National Museum. 

In its rooms on the ground floor it houses a gallery of Polish painting, presenting among others valuable paintings of the best painters from the period of the 17th to the 20th century: J. Malczewski, S. Wyspianski, J. Kossak, A. Gierymski, S. Witkiewicz. The gallery ranked sixth in the country. On the representative first floor you can admire valuable 17th and 18th-century paintings, furniture, tapestry and other arts, creating the atmosphere characteristic of a contemporary Magnate house. In the rooms there are unique, richly polychromed beam-framed floors, frescoes, marble fireplaces and portals. The most beautiful are especially plafonds made at Thomas Dolabelli workshop presenting the fire of Moscow in 1612, the reception of the Swedish legates in 1635 and the trial of the Arians in 1638. In the palace you can also see a marvelous gallery of decorative art., the military objects exhibition, the Marshal Jozef Pilsudski Sanctuary and temporary exhibitions. In the branch of the museum which is situated in the house ‘Under the Three Coats of Arms’ at Rynek the are ethnographic, regional, geological and other displays. In 2000 almost 93 thousand people visited the museum exhibitions.

Address: 1 Zamkowy Square

Opening hours:
Mondays – closed

Tuesdays – Sundays – 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.