Palace under the Rams (Pałac pod Baranami) is a remarkable place, its history dates back to the 16th century. Through many centuries it has been the centre of culture of Krakow, with its bustling literary life where the guests were captivated by the beauty of this place. The building stands out with its harmonious arcade courtyard, façade in classicism style and with its impressive rooms. These rooms are filled with an extraordinary atmosphere. Hence, this atmosphere is not created artificially but it’s the outcome of a long tradition which can be felt in every corner of the building. Located in the centre of Krakow, at the main Market Square.
Tradition says this place used to be an inn where rams were kept and sold for the citizens of Krakow. Hence the rams appear both in the emblem and in the name of the building. Originally, the name of the tenement house was “Where the rams are”, its emblem depicting two rams joined with one common head. The emblem was first placed on the wall of a gothic style corner tenement house. In the 16th century two gothic tenement houses were attached together creating a palace in renaissance style by the owner, Justus Louise Decius, secretary to the king, Sigismund I the Old. Later, the palace was bought by Stephen Bathory for the commander of the Hungarian infantry. Then the building was passed into the hands of Katarzyna of Lubomirski Osrogowski, and in the 17th century the owners, the princes of Radziwill, joined one more building to the palace.
After that, the Wielopolski family got possession. Artur Potocki bought it in 1822 and the palace belonged to the Potocki family until the Second World War. In 1860 the building underwent a general renovation involving raising one more floor. It was then that the three ram heads appeared just right over the gate facing the Market Square. During the German occupation the building served as military headquarters of Krakow district and after the liberation it became the Soviet military headquarters of the town. After the Second World War in 1947 the building was submitted to the House of Culture of Krakow. The famous cabaret stage “Piwnica pod Baranami” was founded in the basement in 1956.
The palace has hosted many celebrities. The Russian tsarevich Alexei stayed here in 1701, as well as Prince Józef Poniatowski in 1809, the following year Frederick Augustus, king of Saxony and prince of Warsaw, and in 1890 the Habsburg Emperor of Franz Joseph I was welcome here. In August 1990 the pre-war owners regained the ownership and the day after a part of the building was destroyed by a great fire. The renovation of the Palace went on for many years.
