The Cracow Bishops’ Palace in Cracow

Medals available for purchase at the papomat in the main entrance to the Curia!

The palace is famous for John Paul II’s spontaneous, unofficial speeches to crowds of the faithful gathered at Franciszkańska Street from the so-called “papal window.” Officially, from the late 14th century to the present day, it has housed the metropolitan curia, the seat of the bishops of Krakow.

Karol Wojtyla settled there on August 10, 1944, as a student of the clandestine Seminary of the Archdiocese of Cracow. He was ordained a priest on November 1, 1946 by Prince Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha in his private chapel. In the local Metropolitan Curia, Fr. Karol Wojtyla served as bishop from 1958, and then – as Metropolitan of Krakow until October 16, 1978. – the day of his election to the Holy See. Holy Father John Paul II lived in this Palace during each of his pilgrimages to Krakow. Above the entrance is the famous window from which the Holy Father greeted the youth of Krakow who came to meet him. In the Palace’s courtyard stands a statue of John Paul II, the gift and work of Jole Sensi Croci, unveiled in May 1980.

At the time of John Paul II’s death (and for many weeks afterwards), the square in front of the Palace was filled with people gathering to pray for the peace of his soul.

Next to the Metropolitan Curia (1 Franciszkańska Street) is (…) the building of the Pontifical Academy of Theology, erected in 1981 by Pope John Paul II, the successor to the Faculty of Theology at Jagiellonian University.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)