The Czyncielów Tenement House: a masterpiece of Krakow Art Nouveau

·11 December 2025

The Czynciel tenement house is regarded as one of the most interesting achievements of Krakow’s Art Nouveau. Its façade attracts attention with a wealth of forms and decorations, which have been inscribed in a not uncommon context – the neighbourhood of St. Mary’s Church. Rajmund Meus and Ludwik Wojtyczko applied in their design the language of architecture presenting the trends developed by Kraków’s artistic circles of the time, and the building itself has been a very characteristic accent in the eastern frontage of the Market Square for over a hundred years.

The former building at 9 Mariacka Square

In the place of today’s Art Nouveau gem, there used to stand a tenement house of medieval origin, called Delpacowska or Barszczow. The first mention of its construction dates from after 1313. In the following centuries, the building was modernised in line with current architectural trends. In the Renaissance period, it underwent significant reconstruction on the initiative of Stanislav Czipser, a wealthy fur trader. At the time, the building bordered the St. Mary’s cemetery, whose wall ran from its wall towards Mikołajska Street. One of the old names of the building, Barszczowe, derives from the Bartsch family. This was a family of Krakow wine merchants, later associated with the magistrate. In their time, the property received a decorative tympanum with a representation of the Holy Trinity, and the local wine cellar became a place of intense political debates during the work of the Four-Year Sejm.

The Delpac House – its fate from the 17th to the 19th century

In the early modern period, the tenement continued to pass from hand to hand. It was owned by the Salomons, the Czipsers, the Delpacs and the Gierardyni. In the 17th century the bookshop of Francesco Del Pace and later the shop of Kamil Gierardyni operated here. In the 18th century, the building passed again to the aforementioned Bartschs, who gave it a new look with Rococo additions and a distinctive façade. In turn, in the 19th century, further modernisations were carried out due to changes in the way of trading. The building housed Franciszek Koch’s bookshop and Józef Czynciel’s haberdashery shop.

A fragment of the Main Market Square at the beginning of the 20th century. Source: National Museum in Krakow

Stanisław Wyspiański and his studio

Towards the end of the 19th century, Stanisław Wyspiański rented a room in the building. He had a small studio on the second floor, known by his contemporaries as his literary study. It was here that “The Wedding”, one of the most important works of Polish drama, was written. This is indicated by a commemorative plaque restored after World War II and placed in the area of Mariacka Square.

The Czynciel tenement house – construction and beginnings

Over the years, the old tenement house ceased to be functional, so in 1906 a decision was made to demolish it. Its most valuable stonework, however, was donated to museums, including an 18th-century lattice to the Jan Matejko House. A year later, construction of a new building for the merchant Celestin Czynciel began on the empty lot and was completed in 1908. The design of the building was selected in a competition organised by the Society for the Beautification of the City of Cracow. It was designed by Rajmund Meus as the author of the structure and Ludwik Wojtyczko responsible for the façades. The architect used ornamentation of folk origin and merchant motifs, including the caduceus. The whole building was designed in the spirit of the then fashionable Art Nouveau, while at the same time ensuring that the new structure was consistent and harmonious with the surrounding buildings on the Market Square.

St. Mary’s Church and neighbouring buildings around 1910. Source: Walery Rzewuski Museum of the History of Photography in Kraków

Controversy surrounding the new building

In the first years after its construction, the Czynciel tenement house aroused rather unfavourable opinions. Its wavy attic forms, frieze and windows inspired by Renaissance tombstones were criticised. Satirists from the “Zielony Balonik” cabaret even used them in their jokes. Over time, however, the tenement became part of the neighbourhood and was widely accepted as an original element of Krakow’s Market Square. The 1950s saw difficult times for the building. As part of the modernisation, some of the rich details were removed from its façade and the shape of some windows was changed, which significantly worsened the appearance of the tenement. It was not until the 2001 renovation that the building was restored to its original appearance, known from the early 20th century.

The Czynciel tenement house today

The new tenement house on the site of Barszczowy was built as one of the first department stores in Kraków. Shops with exclusive goods were located on the ground floor and the first floor. In the interwar period, the Bilewski’s warehouse and Leon Grabowski’s fashion salon operated here. After 2008, the Hard Rock Café restaurant was opened on the ground floor, which still operates there today. The Czynciel tenement house was entered in the register of monuments in 1984. It is also listed in the municipal register of historical monuments.

Kamienica Czyncielów — photo WhiteMAD/Mateusz Markowski

Source: zabytek.pl

The Barszczowe and Biderman tenement houses, early 20th century and today. Source: Historical Museum of the City of Kraków and whiteMAD/Mateusz Markowski

The Barszczowe and Biderman tenement houses just before demolition and the same frame today. Source: Museum of Krakow and WhiteMAD/Mateusz Markowski