Nowa Huta Guide - Krakow sightseeing with a guide

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Nowa Huta

The communist dream of an ideal city

Nowa Huta (in Polish: The New Still Mill) was one of two cities in the world designed and built from scratch in the spirit of Socialist Realism. The Communists dreamed of creating an ideal city, which overshadow Kraków, regarded as the mainstay of tradition and hostility toward socialist ideals.

During the krakow city guide tour you will have the opportunity to see the extraordinary arhitecture, paradoxically, inspired the achievements of Western European modernism. On The Central Square You will be amazed by symmetry, monumentality and raw charm of this large urban space. We will show You the most interesting aspects and absurdities of life in Nowa Huta housing. The Communist utopia did not work in reality. Residents of the socialist ideal city quickly got into a conflict with the socialist authorities. During the tour we will tell You the amazing story of The Ark of Lord – the first Church built in Nowa Huta.

After the collapse of the communist system, street names has changed (former Lenin Street is now the Solidarity Avenue), but the spirit of old times is still present here. Our tour is an opportunity to feel this unique mood. We guarantee that you will experience a whole range of emotions – You’ll be delighted, terrified, moved and amused. Sounds interesting? Choose our tour.

Guided tour in English, German, Swedish or Polish

Tour adjusted to the age, interest and needs. Your anticipations will be our top priority!

Duration: 2-4 h, depending on the selected option of sightseeing

Possible break for lunch. Dinner packages on offer

Licensed Krakow city guide with excellent knowledge and sense of humour

Starting Point: Tadeusz Sendzimir Steelworks – the main gate

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Nowa Huta guide Itinerary

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Tadeusz Sendzimir Steelworks

An industrial plant which needs internal bus lines because of its gigantic size. Built in the Stalin era and originally named after Vladimir Lenin. Intriguing, monumental architecture of administration buildings and dreary industrial installations located in a vast area create an unusual, slightly dark atmosphere.

The Solidarity Avenue

Originally The Avenue of the labor leaders, and since 1958 The Avenue of Vladimir Lenin (oh, what a surprise…). One of the main arteries of Nowa Huta. Spectacular alley connects the Central Square and steelworks. It was the so-called ‘axis of work’. The main goal of the designers was to create an ideal place to live for the working class. These ideological assumptions are extremely visible.

Jan Matejko's Manor House in Krzesławice

Nowa Huta is much more than the Socialist Realism! We will also visit monuments much older than the district, but situated on its territory. One of them is a charming rural mansion once belonged to the eminent painter Jan Matejko. Explore the life and works of extraordinary artist. Its also an opportunity to see excerpt of the rural reality, which existed in these areas, before the Communists got down to work.

The Wanda and Willowe housing estates

The oldest housing estates in the district. The chance to hear extraordinary stories about the first inhabitants of Nowa Huta and see the buildings they lived. Most of these people came from neighboring villages. Some moved into blocks with livestock! How the designers of Nowa Huta imagined an ideal urban living space? Come with us and find out!

Cistercian Abbey in Mogila

The interiors of the medieval abbey (located in the former village Mogiła) hiding numerous treasures – the outstanding works of art. and rich library. Particularly worthy of note are dazzling wall paintings by eminent artist, Stanislaw Samostrzelnik, who lived at the turn of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

Plac Centralny (Central Square)

The heart of Nowa Huta. Monumental buildings with arcades on the ground floors and other intriguing solutions applied here by designers (architects – Tadeusz Ptaszycki, Marta and Janusz Ingarden) truely can delight. All the main thoroughfares of Nowa Huta spread out symmetrically from the square.

The Avenue of Roses

One of the main avenues leading from the Central Square. Plenty of rose bushes were planted along the alley (especially in 60s and 70s). The statue of Vladimir Lenin – visible from the Central Square – stood there untill 1989. Actually, with a little break. In 1979 the monument was blown up. As we already mentioned, the residents of Nowa Huta did not sympathized to the system.

Stylowa Restaurant

The oldest Restaurant in Nowa Huta. The name means ‘stylish’. Indeed, the restaurant presents a unique ‘style’. The interior design refers to the 70s. Stucco, chandeliers, columns and marble floors – this is the socialist realist idea of the elegant interior. Do You want to feel the atmosphere straight from the communist era? The restaurant is still running. Absolutely amazing journey in time.

Świt Cinema

One of our favorite social realist buildings in Nowa Huta. With its monumental colonnade it looks more like headquarters of some important office. Restored neon of the ’50s over the entrance and original staircase and chandeliers inside – you simply have to see it. The name means ‘Dawn’ (a typical example of pompous naming in the era of communism).

Ludowy Theatre

A chance to learn something about the cultural and intelectual life of Nowa Huta. The Ludowy Theatre (name means: the theatre of the people) always has an excellent team and repertoire. Today it is still one of the most important dramatic scenes in Poland. Moreover, the theater building is another example of fascinating architecture. Note the interesting layout of solids. We are also delighted with the original lettering in the neon over the entrance.

The Arc of Lord Church

Residents of the city fought a long battle with the authorities to build here a new church. It came to numerous, brutally repressed street demonstrations. Finally the Communists capitulated. The church was consecrated in 1977 by the future pope, bishop Karol Wojtyla. Nowadays the Arc of Lord is a symbol of victorious struggle for religious and personal freedom.