Worth to see

(500 m from the Mikolaj hotel)

The day after Matejko's funeral, on 8th November 1893, Krakow's "Czas" journal published an article penned by Marian Sokołowski, who referring to examples of homes - museums such as Rafael's house in Urbino and Michelangelo's in Florence appealed to commemorate a character and merit of Jan Matejko in a similar way. The idea was accepted with enthusiasm and Prince Eustachy Sanguszko, who was the head of Jan Matejko Association at that time, proceeded to collect appropriate funds. On 7 November 1895, on the second anniversary of painter's funeral, his house and a part of his collection was bought from the family. On 1 May 1896, the living room and bedroom as the first part of the created museum were made available to the public. At the same time, they also collected a library that would include publications on Jan Matejko and photographies of almost all of his paintings

(700 m from the Mikolaj hotel)

The Secession building erected between 1898-1901 was designed by architect Franciszek Maczynski who was inspired by the famous Secession exhibition pavilion in Vienna. Most accomplished artists in Kraków took part in decorating the Palace of Art. The building functions as an art gallery. At the initiative of members of the Fine Art's Friends Society and representatives of the Rotary Club, The Palace hosts Polish contemporary art and foreign artists' exhibitions. Works of art auctions also take place here.

(1300 m from the Mikolaj hotel)

The castle was rebuilt and renewed many times over the centuries. Numerous fires, looting and marches of foreign troops, combined with destruction of the residence all caused that the object was repeatedly rebuilt in new architectural styles, its exterior was renovated and its appearance and interior furnishings and were transformed all the time.

From the outside and inside, the castle is of renaissance, baroque, and partly classicist character. It has a courtyard with arcaded archways, gateway and five residential towers.

The residence features 71 exhibition halls grouped in five permanent exhibitions and two representative stairways: Senatorial and Deputies. Most rooms are decorated in the Renaissance and Baroque style, there are, however, halls rebuilt in neoclassical style and from interwar period.