Nowa Huta

The construction of Nowa Huta began in 1949, starting with the delineation of the Central Square followed by the surrounding residential estates. Its main designer, Tadeusz Ptaszycki, spared no effort of the imagination and turned it into a prime example of socialist realism.

In 1951 Nowa Huta was incorporated into Kraków, although for long after many considered it a separate city. Its history, and the fact that it is a unique example of greenfield communist urban design, attract many tourists. This industrial settlement built on the most fertile lands includes the village of Mogiła, owned since the 13th c. by the Cistercian Abbey. Its medieval complex includes (on the other side of the street) the Church of St Bartholomew: the oldest and best preserved wooden church in Kraków.