Opole Market Square and Town Hall

Opole Market Square (Rynek, pronounced "RIH-nek") with its Town Hall is the historic heart of Opole, the capital of the Opole region in southern Poland, and the natural place to start any visit. The square keeps its medieval rectangular plan, lined with pastel townhouses, while the Town Hall tower in the middle was modeled on Florence's Palazzo Vecchio. Since February 2026 you can also climb the restored tower, which now houses an engaging exhibition about the old town.

Where Opole is and how to get there

Opole (say "o-POH-leh") lies on the Oder River in Upper Silesia, roughly halfway between Wrocław and Katowice. From Wrocław it is about 100 km by the A4 motorway, around an hour's drive, and trains take a similar time. Katowice Airport and Wrocław Airport are the nearest international airports. From Opole Główne railway station it is a 10–15 minute walk to the square. The city center has paid parking zones, so it is easiest to park a little outside the core and walk in.

A tower that fell down

A wooden merchants' hall stood here in the Middle Ages; in the 14th century the town replaced it with a brick town hall, and a tower with a clock and bell followed in the 16th century. After a devastating fire in 1739 the tower got a Baroque onion dome. The building was thoroughly remodeled in 1818–1826, and in 1863–1864 a new tower inspired by the Palazzo Vecchio went up.

The most surprising episode came in the summer of 1934, when Opole was part of Germany. Workers were removing the old market stalls attached to the building, and on July 15, 1934 the weakened tower collapsed. Nobody was killed. By 1936 a new tower of about 65 meters had been built, along with a south wing with arcades. The Town Hall survived World War II and is still the seat of the city government; a bugle call, the Opole hejnał, is played from the tower every day.

What to see on the square

Much of the square was destroyed in 1945, when the Red Army captured the city. The west and east sides were rebuilt after the war in a Baroque-inspired style. Look out for:

• House No. 1 "Under the Lion" – a medieval house with a round defensive tower, owned by the Piast dukes until 1532 and later by the Oppersdorff family. Tradition says Polish King John Casimir stayed here in 1655 during the Swedish invasion.
• House No. 32 on the south side – the oldest on that frontage, with 14th-century origins.
• The Town Hall cellar – a pub since 1996, reviving the tradition of the historic "Świdnica Cellar."

The Gothic Franciscan church with the burial chapel of the Opole Piast dukes is just around the corner.

Climbing the Town Hall tower

Visits are guided, in groups of up to 10, and last up to an hour. On the way up you pass a 1929 advertising column, a "time machine" show, the bugler's room, detailed models of the square's houses and the whole old town as it looked in October 1929, and a photo gallery. Two viewing levels, one with telescopes, offer views over the rooftops; on clear days you may see the Sudetes mountains. The tower is not accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026, the tower is open Friday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–4:45 p.m. (last entry 3:45 p.m.). Tickets cost 15 PLN for everyone and are sold on the day of your visit at the Tourist Information Office, Rynek 23, at least 15 minutes before your slot; you can book by phone at +48 77 451 19 87. Check the city website for the December–March schedule. The square itself is a free pedestrian zone open around the clock.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, especially combined with a walk along the Młynówka canal ("Opole Venice"), the Piast Tower and the cathedral. Opole calls itself the capital of Polish song thanks to its long-running national song festival held in the amphitheater nearby, and the square is livelier in summer, when restaurant terraces fill the cobblestones. In the evening the floodlit tower makes a good photo. Allow 30–45 minutes for the square and about two hours with the tower and the Franciscan church. Guided city walks in English are offered by the city's tourism staff on request.