Market Square in Nowy Sącz

The market square in Nowy Sącz measures 150 by 120 metres and constituted one twelfth of the chartered town of 1292. Today, together with ten perpendicular streets, it forms the medieval chessboard layout of the old town, and both tourists and residents like to linger on the square.

The town hall after the great fire

The most distinctive building of the square is the town hall, the seat of the Sącz authorities. Its construction was carried out in 1895–1897, after the great fire of Nowy Sącz. The imposing structure dominates the square and still serves as the reference point for meetings and strolls.

One of the oldest towns in Lesser Poland

Nowy Sącz was chartered on 8 November 1292 as a royal town in the Kraków land and is regarded as the capital of the Sącz region (Sądecczyzna). According to Statistics Poland data from 31 December 2024, 79,821 people lived here, making it the third most populous city in the Lesser Poland voivodeship. The market square remains the heart of this metropolis of the Sącz Beskids.

In practice

The square is open around the clock, without tickets. Ten streets connect it with the rest of the old town and invite a longer walk, including towards Jagiellońska Street. It is worth planning a coffee stop in one of the town houses — the paved square invites rest, and after dark the square becomes the stage of the city's evening life.