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History of the building

UNA is located at an address long associated with bookselling, publishing, and artistic activity. Main Square 36 in Krakow is a building with a remarkably rich history.

Townhouse at the beginning of the 20th century
Main Square in Krakow at the beginning of the 20th century
Townhouse at the beginning of the 20th century

History of the building

UNA is located at an address long associated with bookselling, publishing, and artistic activity. Main Square 36 in Krakow is a building with a remarkably rich history.

  1. Middle Ages

    At the entrance to the Main Market Square from Sławkowska Street, a corner building known as the “Ludwikowski House” is constructed. At the same time, facing the Square, a townhouse, known as the “Waytmanowski House”, is erected in the form of a masonry tower on a square floor plan.

  2. Records indicate that a mint operated temporarily in the corner building.

  3. Early Modern Period

    During this time, the pharmacy “Pod Jeleniem” [The Stag] operates on the corner.

  4. The three buildings occupying the site of today’s plot—including the “Jewish” house on Sławkowska Street—are merged (following partial demolition) and built upward to form an imposing mansion.

  5. The inn “Pod Jeleniem” opens its doors in the newly built complex. Among its guests are Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Tsar Nicholas I.

  6. The heirs of the owner sell the property, and the pharmacy “Pod Złotym Jeleniem” [The Golden Stag] opens on the ground floor.

  7. Renovation is carried out, including a roof replacement. On the façade, a balcony with an iron railing appears—an increasingly popular feature at the time.

  8. The building is converted, taking on the form familiar to us today. On the façade, a bas-relief depicting a Guardian Angel is installed, as the property had, in the meantime, come under the ownership of the Archconfraternity of Mercy.

  9. The ground floor is adapted for commercial purposes. A bookshop opens, run by S.A. Krzyżanowski and frequented, among others, by such figures as Henryk Sienkiewicz, laureate of the Nobel Prize in Literature. In addition to its publishing activities, the venue hosts concerts and exhibitions.

  10. Contemporary Period

    The Germans confiscate most of Krzyżanowski’s collections, deemed ‘dangerous’, and subsequently evict the bookstore.

  11. The bookshop returns to its original premises — and two years later, as part of the state-led collectivisation programme, it is taken over by “Dom Książki”.

  12. The building undergoes further renovations, some more superficial than others; eventually, thorough conservation work is carried out.

  13. A music café and bookstore opens.

  14. In the newly free Poland, “Kurant” [Courante] carries on the site’s bookshop and music traditions.

  15. UNA is established — an intimate concert venue and music café and bookstore of PWM Edition.

SupportArcybractwo Miłosierdzia

Kamienica pod Jeleniem at Rynek Główny 36 in Kraków belongs to Arcybractwo Miłosierdzia, which supports the elderly and lonely, the sick, people with disabilities, large families, and people experiencing homelessness. Those who wish to support this activity may make a donation by bank transfer to the account: