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Collegium Maius

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Amanda
Amanda
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4 out of 5
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Editor Pick

Ancient Building in Krakow's University Campus

  • October 4, 2009
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Praskipark from Warsaw, Poland
Ancient Building in Krakow's University Campus

The oldest building in Krakow's University Campus is Collegium Maius (Great College).The site was purchased in 1400 by King Jagiello. Fragments of the large 14th century limestone kamienica survive on the corner of Anny Street and Jagiellonska Street. Over the next 70 years, the university bought the remaining buildings on what was the Jewish market square and joined them together. In 1492-7 they were unified in Gothic style in red brick and pale limestone. The covered walkway of the courtyard was typical of medieval universities, as was the projecting windowed balcony, designed to light the refectory lantern.

The building has been renovated many times. A particularly invasive 19th century neo-Gothic makeover was changed by extensive alterations in the 1950s and 1960s. The Nazis plundered almost all the interiors, now mostly reconstructed from photographs using period artefacts from elsewhere.

The well at the centre of the courtyard shows the coats of arms of Krakow, Poland, Lithuania and Anjou. The 'Professors' Steps' run above the spot where treasure (presumably hidden by Jews) was found in 1494. It included a giant black diamond, which now adorns the reliquary containing St Stanislaw's head in Wawel Cathedral.

At 11am and 1 pm every day, the modern clock over the Portal booms out the student hymn Gaudeamus Igitur and little figures from the university's history trundle around a walkway.

The middle floor of the Great College serves as a museum. Its treasures include royal sceptres, an Oscar, a Nobel Prize, moon rock, the first Globe to show North America and astronomical instruments belonging to Copernicus. There are rooms showing the lifestyles of professors' throughout the centuries and the ceremonial halls ar still used to greet visiting dignitaries and to grant doctorates.

The tour is standard and generally takes about 30 minutes. Booking in advance is recommended. I purchased my ticket from the office which is at the entrance from the top floor of the courtyard. Check that the tour you are paying for is in the correct language as they change from day to day as do the times of the tours.

The museum is open Mon-Fri, 11am - 3pm. On Saturday from 11am - 2pm.

There are a few rooms on the ground floor of Collegium Maius that allow visitors to perform a few experiments of their own, If you like joining in and having a go then I suggest you purchase a ticket at the gift shop opposite the entrance. It is a lot of fun - here you can experiment with sound waves and astronomy sits side by side with computers and GPS. One room is dedicated to alchemy, with retorts, flasks, pots, magical diagrams, strange powders and dead animals.

The Ancient and Modern Science rooms are open Mon - Sat from 10am until 2.30pm.
Editor Pick

Collegium Maius

  • April 30, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by jacob_s from hamilton, Ontario
One of the highlights of our trip to this city was the visit to this historic building. King Casmir founded the Jagiellonian University, one of the oldest in Europe, around 1364. The oldest preserved building is the Colleguim Maius. Its beautiful Gothic architecture, and 15th century quadrangle and cloisters, is like stepping back into another world.
We booked ahead for the English tour of its main exhibits, scientific, and fine arts collection. We wandered through former-professors quarters, beautifully furnished in the historical period; a library; a common room with a baroque spiral staircase; and the Aula, an impressive assembly hall filled with portraits of kings and other benefactors. Its original Renaissance ceiling and beautiful wooden seating is a “must-see.” It was in this room that Pope John Paul II was given an honorary doctorate.

Especially interesting was a set of cryogenic instruments, and astronomical pieces thought to have been used by Copernicus. The Copernicus room was fascinating, with its telescopes, sextants, and the golden Jagiellion globe showing America for the first time with the inscription "America noviter reperta." We also viewed an amazing collection of 15th- to 16th-century clocks, laboratory equipment, and many beautiful globes. Gothic scepters of rectors from the 15th century, an Arab astrolab, and scientific instruments were also among the impressive artifacts.

In the library, we saw Pope John Paul’s class register; but throughout the tour, and easily overlooked, are some quirky mementos that belonged to, or were touched by, distinguished visitors. Chopin’s sweet tin, autographed 1829, is a round tin covered with shiny paper that Chopin used for keeping chocolates in, plus a plaster cast of his hand (small and fine boned). There was a bar of dark chocolate decorated with the initials of Stanislaw August Poniatowski, the last Polish king, and a plastic ball pen borrowed from one of the museum employees by Pope John Paul II to sign the visitor’s book in 1983.

The museum tour takes over an hour, and goes around the complete circumference of the building that surrounds the courtyard. The courtyard itself is a peaceful place to sit and wait for the tour. We waited for ours while sipping the richest hot chocolate I have ever had. A couple of small tables and chairs were set out just under the cloister. In the basement, a student cafe is set up with small displays relating to the university's history. A notable clock, that chimes every hour with a procession of mechanical knights and horseman touting away, added greatly to the atmosphere drumbeats and all. We found our visit to the Collegium Maius truly memorable, and I highly recommend that you pay a visit. Photos were permitted in the first two rooms only. The tour runs Weekdays starting at 1pm, and admission 16 zloty.

Open Weekdays from 10am to 3pm, and Saturday 10am to 2pm. Closed Sunday.

From journal Krakow Cornucopia

Editor Pick

Collegium Maius University tour

  • May 31, 2005
  • Rated 5 of 5 by hagnel2 from Hamilton, Ontario
Collegium Maius University tour

One of the highlights of our trip to this city was the visit to this historic building. King Casmir founded the Jagiellonian University one of the oldest in Europe around 1364. The oldest preserved building is the Colleguim Maius its beautiful gothic architecture and 15th century quadrangle and cloisters is like stepping back into another world.

We booked ahead for the English tour of its main exhibits, scientific and fine arts collection. We wandered through former professors' quarters, beautifully furnished in the historical period; a library; a common room with a baroque spiral staircase; and the Aula, an impressive assembly hall filled with portraits of kings and other benefactors. Its original Renaissance ceiling and beautiful wooden seating is a "must-see". It was in this room that Pope John Paul II was given an honorary doctorate.

Especially interesting was a set of cryogenic instruments and astronomical pieces thought to have been used by Copernicus. The Copernicus room was fascinating, with its telescopes, sextants, and the golden Jagiellion globe, showing America for the first time with the inscription America noviter reperta. We also viewed an amazing collection of 15th- to 16th-century clocks, laboratory equipment, and many beautiful globes, Gothic scepters of rectors from the 15th century, an Arab astrolab, and scientific instruments, to name a few impressive artifacts.

In the library, we saw Pope John Paul’s class register, but throughout the tour and easily overlooked are some quirky mementos that belonged to or were touched by distinguished visitors. Chopin’s sweet tin autographed 1829, a round tin covered with shiny paper, which Chopin used for keeping chocolates in, plus a plaster cast of his hand {small and fine boned}. There was a bar of dark chocolate decorated with the initials of Stanislaw August Poniatowski, the last Polish king, and a plastic ball pen borrowed from one of the museum employees by Pope John Paul II to sign the visitor’s book in 1983.

The museum tour takes over an hour and goes around the complete circumference of the building that surrounds the courtyard. The courtyard itself is a peaceful place to sit and wait for the tour. We waited for ours while sipping the richest hot chocolate I have ever had. A couple of small tables and chairs were set out just under the cloister. The basement student café is set up with small displays relating to the universities history. A notable clock that chimes every hour with a procession of mechanical knights and horseman touting away added greatly to the atmosphere drumbeats and all. We found our visit to the Collegium Maius truly memorable and I highly recommend that you pay a visit. Photos were permitted in the first two rooms only. The tour runs Monday to Thursday starting at 1pm, admission 16 zlty.

Open 10am-3pm, Saturday 10am-2pm. Closed Sunday.

From journal Krakow Cornucopia

Collegium Maius

  • March 11, 2005
  • Rated 4 of 5 by AineUiG from Rath Cairn, Ireland
Although we narrowly missed getting flattened by a ton of melting snow falling from the roof, Collegium Maius was a high point of our visit.

The oldest university in Poland and one of the oldest in the world, the Jagiellonian's medieval Collegium Maius is a must-see for those interested in architecture and history.

We couldn't get into the auditorium on the day we visited, as opening hours are limited, but there is still plenty to see. The basement crypt has been transformed into a trendy student club and café, with medieval sculptures as decoration.

Open Monday to Friday 11am to 2:30pm, Saturday 11am to1:30pm, and free on Saturdays.

From journal Krakow In the Snow

Editor Pick

Collegium Maius

  • July 27, 2000
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Amanda from London, United Kingdom
A beautiful 15th century building, once part of the main university in Krakow, it is now a museum. See where and how Copernicus lived, his study, instruments and living quarters, and the work that was being done in this major seat of learning at the time. The museum is well-laid out, interesting, and the guided tours are well worth the money (you must take one anyway, as the authorities here do not allow you to wander at will.) It's the oldest university in Poland, although this building is no longer used for study. The rooms are all pretty small, perfectly built gothic studies, and packed full of beautiful antique furniture. The most interesting parts, however, are those rooms with antique studying equipment in them. There's one room full of geographic stuff, with maps from the 13th century to the 19th. One of the best, and probably the most famous exhibit here, is the world's oldest globe to show the American continent on it - although it must be said, it's a pretty approximate showing, with lots of water monsters and vague shaded bits around the edges. Further on in the museum is Copernicus' room - including scientific instruments for measuring distance, telescopes, and sextants. There's an odd bed in one corner - according to the guide, scientists at the time slept sitting up, as they thought lying down made you ill by sapping your strength.

From journal Krakow - the most beautiful city in Poland

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