History of the hotel

Mikolaj Hotel is situated in Mikołajska street, one of the most beautiful and most climatic of Krakow streets. It leads from a small market to an intersection with Westerplatte street and then it goes into Mikołaj Kopernik street. It is part of Lesser Polish Way from Sandomierz to Tyniec area. It is located among beautiful, restored tenant houses with characteristic art nouveau ornaments in shapes of chestnut and lime trees.

It was laid out when the city of Kraków was established in 1257 and then it was the main road leading out of town connected with the path leading in the direction of Kievan Rus'. Its name is derived from Saint Nicolaus church located at the route. Initially, it was called Rzeźnicza (butcher's) street because of the proximity to urban markets close to Brama Rzeźnicza (butchers' gate) . Its relics are stored in the walls of Gródek monastery.

There are many famous people associated with Mikołajewska street. One of them is Saint Aniela Salawa, a modest servant who during World War I took care of soldiers in lazaretto. She tended the wounded and with her own scarce resources bought food for prisoners of war of different nationalities. After the war, she supported the poor with charity. Aniela Salawa died in an odour of sanctity and her remains were placed in a beautiful Męka Pańska Chapel in. Franciscan Church Basilica. On 13 August 1975, in the Main Market Square, Holy Father John Paul II canonized her.