Częstochowa Town Hall

For centuries Częstochowa was two towns, Old and New Częstochowa, and each had its own town hall. The Neoclassical building on Plac Biegańskiego was built for the merged town, halfway between the two former market squares. Today it houses the Częstochowa Museum with an exhibition on the city's past, and its viewing tower offers a panorama of the surrounding area.

History: a town hall for a united town

The town hall of New Częstochowa probably burned down during the Bar Confederation (1768–1772), and that of Old Częstochowa was destroyed in the Napoleonic Wars. After the two towns merged, a new building was put up to designs by Franciszek Reinstein, architect of the Kalisz province, in 1826–1834 according to the Częstochowa Museum (other sources give 1828–1836). It cost 45,000 złoty of the time. At first only the ground floor held offices, while officials lived upstairs. The side pavilions held a jail and a guardhouse.

In 1908 the building was remodelled: it was extended, given corner projections and a round two-storey tower with clock faces and a terrace with an iron railing. In 1959 the town hall was handed over for museum use, and since 1967 it has been home to the Częstochowa Museum. It was listed as a heritage building in 1960.

What to see

• The permanent exhibition "Częstochowa – A Look into the Past", covering the city and region from prehistory to the 1910s.
• Temporary exhibitions, changed regularly.
• The viewing tower with a panorama of central Częstochowa.
• Historic cellars and staircases, opened up during the major renovation.
• The former guardhouse on the west side, a late Neoclassical building surviving from the original complex.

Interesting facts

In 1854 the façade was renovated for the emperor's visit to the town. A full renovation in 2004–2006 made the building accessible for people with disabilities and gave the whole complex a uniform façade; it reopened on 16 May 2006. Plac Biegańskiego lies on the Avenue of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Aleja NMP), the city's main axis, which leads straight up to Jasna Góra Monastery.

Tripto tip

The town hall makes a good stop halfway along Aleja NMP between the Old Market Square and Jasna Góra. Allow 1–1.5 hours for the permanent exhibition and the tower. The museum is closed on the first and second days of Easter and Christmas, among other dates; check current hours and prices on the Częstochowa Museum website. Guided tours must be booked at least 7 days ahead. Other branches of the museum, such as the Iron Ore Mining Museum in Staszic Park and the Halina Poświatowska Poetry House, are a short walk away.