Collegium Maius
Collegium Maius was built as the main campus of Kraków Academy, the first university in Poland, during the fourteenth century. One of the university's most famous students is Nicolaus Copernicus.
The “Grand College” is an attractive example of fifteenth century Gothic style architecture with an inner courtyard surrounded by a series of arches made of brick and stone.
Collegium Maius today
The building features the Jagiellonian University Museum that houses an extensive collection of historic instruments once used for astronomy, meteorology, cartography, physics and chemistry.
Perfect for a short visit
One of the highlights of the Collegium Maius is its courtyard clock. The clock performs every two hours, when a parade of wooden figures representing important professors and kings of Poland come alive to a pleasant tune.
The clock is a lot of fun to see; however, the guided tour of Collegium Maius is a little long. Thus, we wouldn’t include this attraction on our top list.
Schedule
Guided tours:
Monday to Friday: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Self-guided tours:
Monday: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Tuesday to Friday: 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm.
Saturday: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Museum Courtyard: Daily from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Professor's Garden: Daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Price
Permanent exhibition without a guide:
Adults: zł 17 (US$ 4.57)
Students: zł 10 (US$ 2.69)
Children under 7: free admission.
Permanent exhibition with a guide:
Adults: zł 26 (US$ 6.99)
Students: zł 14 (US$ 3.76)
Children under 7: free admission.
Full exhibition (guided only):
Adults: zł 31 (US$ 8.34).
Students: zł 25 (US$ 6.72).
Children under 7: free admission.
Transport
Trams: 2, 13, 18 and 69.
Buses: 124, 152, 304, 424, 502, 601, 618 and 902.
Nearby places
Town Hall Tower (177 m) Main Market Square (246 m) 19th Century Polish Art Gallery (247 m) Stare Miasto (249 m) Rynek Underground (281 m)
