St. Mary’s Tower and the Hejnał in Kraków

St. Mary's Tower in Kraków (KRAH-koof), known locally as the Hejnalica (hey-nah-LEE-tsah), is the taller of the two towers of St. Mary's Basilica on the Main Market Square. At 82 m (269 ft) it dominates the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and every hour a live trumpet call – the hejnał (HEY-now) – sounds from its window. Climbing it is one of the most memorable things to do in Kraków, combining medieval history, a famous legend and a bird's-eye view of the square.

A watchtower with a golden crown

The north tower was raised in the early 15th century so that it could serve as the city's lookout post. In 1478 a carpenter named Matias Heringkan topped it with the Gothic spire you see today, ringed by eight small turrets, and in 1666 a gilded crown about 2.4 m across was placed on the spire. The tower closed to visitors in 2013 due to its poor condition and reopened in 2015 with a new metal staircase. The lower, 69 m tower next to it is the church belfry.

The hejnał: Kraków's broken melody

City pay records from 1392 already mention a trumpeter on the tower, whose job was to warn of fires and signal the opening and closing of the city gates. Since April 16, 1927, Polish Radio has broadcast the noon call live every day. A few things worth knowing before you hear it:

• the call is played four times, once toward each point of the compass, starting with Wawel Castle
• the trumpeters are professional firefighters, who climb 239 steps in about two and a half minutes
• the tune stops abruptly mid-phrase; the popular story of a watchman shot by a Tatar arrow seems to date only from the 1920s and first appeared in print in American author Eric P. Kelly's 1928 novel The Trumpeter of Krakow
• on May 18, 1944, the hejnał was played over the battlefield of Monte Cassino after Polish troops captured the monastery

Climbing the tower: what to expect

Visitors go up in small groups of up to 15 people, entering from Floriańska Street. You climb 239 steep steps to the 54 m level, where the trumpeters play, and see their small room and the views over the Cloth Hall, the Town Hall Tower and the rooftops of the Old Town. Children under 7 are not allowed, and the climb is tiring, so it is not ideal for anyone with knee or heart problems. Allow about 30 minutes, and time your visit just before the hour if you want to hear the call up close.

Tickets and opening hours (as of October 2026)

• Tuesday–Saturday 11 am–5:30 pm; Sundays and holidays 1–5:30 pm; closed Mondays
• groups start every 25 minutes; the tower closes in bad weather
• tickets: PLN 20 standard, PLN 15 reduced (ages 7–18, students up to 26, seniors 65+)
• tickets are sold only on the day, at the visitor point at Plac Mariacki 7; there are no reservations and numbers are limited

The tower opens seasonally; according to the parish it is closed from November to April, so check mariacki.com before a late-fall trip. Prices are in Polish złoty (PLN).

Is it worth it, and what is nearby

If you are fit and can arrive early in the day, yes – few viewpoints put you this close to Kraków's living history. Afterward, step inside the basilica to see Veit Stoss's carved wooden altarpiece and the painted interior designed by Jan Matejko, with stained glass by Stanisław Wyspiański. The Cloth Hall, the Town Hall Tower and Floriańska Street, leading to St. Florian's Gate and the Barbican, are all a few minutes' walk away. The square is about a 15-minute walk from Kraków Główny, the main train station.