Market Square in Żywiec

The market square in Żywiec is the main square of a town in the Żywiec Basin, located a little west of the Habsburg castle. It is surrounded by townhouses dominated by the town hall, and after a recent revitalisation cars have disappeared from its surface. Wooden stalls with local handicrafts and regional souvenirs are set up on the square.

The bastion on Kościuszki street

In the corner of the square, on Kościuszki street, stands a stone belfry from the 18th century. The tower has a square plan, four storeys and a pyramidal roof, with a monument of St. John Paul II placed in front of it.

A town of records and festivals

Żywiec, with about 29,900 inhabitants, made meteorological history: in 1929 a temperature of −40.6°C was recorded here — the lowest measured in Poland until 1940. Every year the Week of Beskid Culture takes place on the square and around the town, featuring folk ensembles from the region and beyond. From the square you can see the tower of the co-cathedral, and a few steps away spreads the castle-and-park complex.

In practice

The square is accessible all year round. Sightseeing is best combined with a stroll through the castle park and a climb up Grojec (612 m), the hill visible above the town.