“The Treasures of Krakow”

June 1 – September 30, 2023

“The Treasures of Krakow” is an outdoor exhibition organised by the City of Krakow in cooperation with the International Cultural Centre in Krakow. This year's exhibition was organised to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Krakow being included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The exhibition showcases the phenomenon of the city and the circumstances of the historical listing in 1978. Now it is shown in Nowa Huta, “Kraków's youngest sister”, recognised this year as a Monument of History (September 1–30, Aleja Róż). Previously it was on display at Father Studziński Square (June 1–30), in Podgórze (July 1–31, Rynek Podgórski), and Kazimierz (August 1–31, Wolnica Square).

The city of Krakow was included on the UNESCO list as one of the first twelve sites in the world. Not individual monuments, but the entire urban complex including the Wawel Hill, the Old Town, the former suburb of Stradom, and the royal city of Kazimierz have been recognised as world heritage sites. This decision came as a culmination of the efforts of the Polish conservation community and launched a nationwide campaign for the renewal of Krakow's monuments, neglected as a result of the policy of communist authorities.

The exhibition consists of 22 Polish-English boards. The axis of the exhibition runs from prehistory, through the most representative of Krakow’s medieval and Renaissance heritage, to post-war times and selected examples of the latest architectural projects in the field of culture. The exhibition also introduces the circumstances of the events of 1978 and compares Krakow 45 years ago with the city of today. The exhibition was organised on the basis of a project developed in 2019 by the International Cultural Centre in Krakow (about the project).