A green revolution promises to take place under Wawel Hill. The Garden Team of the City of Krakow has prepared a project for the revitalization of Napoleon's Grand Army Square and the development of an empty pavilion at the foot of Wawel Hill. While the green direction of change in one of Krakow's hottest pans is gratifying, not all residents express satisfaction with the current form of the project. Were there other ideas for the space?
Before the reconstruction of the first decade of the 21st century, there was a large parking lot between Powisle Street and Czerwieński Boulevard. After the renovation, another parking lot was created there.... another parking lot, this time intended mainly for coaches. In addition to it, a Tourist Service Center (now deserted) was built at the foot of Wawel Castle, as well as a concrete square, almost completely devoid of greenery. It's difficult to judge today the project from more than 15 years ago, because although there were few hit solutions in it, it was built in harmony with the concrete, red-hot spirit of the times. However, the need to change the concrete status quo has long seemed a necessity.
Napoleon's Grand Army Square in Krakow
Photo: Zygmunt Put © CC BY-SA 4.0 | Wikimedia Commons
skejays and parking enthusiasts
Although the renovation of the concrete pan under Wawel Hill had been talked about for some time, the current form of the square also had its supporters - the lack of tall greenery left an unobstructed view of the Castle from the west, coaches carrying tourists had plenty of space to leave their vehicles at the parking lot on Zwierzyniecka Street, and the concrete infrastructure of the square was eagerly used by lovers of city sports.
The square of the Grand Army of Napoleon in Cracow - project of changes
© The Garden Team of the City of Krakow
A new vision for Napoleon's Grand Army Square
The right design trends, the search for answers to the progressing climate change and the increasingly widely drawn plans to green Krakow have found expression in the project to de-construct the square of the Grand Army of Napoleon located at the foot of Wawel along Powiśle street. The new concept, which could cost up to PLN 80 million to implement, was prepared by the team of Krakow's City Gardener, Katarzyna Opałka.
The project is based on a reference to the Vistula River as the most important element of the place's identity. The shape of the square refers to the course of the river - its layout resembles a meandering riverbed, which has been "submerged" in greenery interpreted as banks. In the central part there will be water elements that directly relate to the river. They create a zone of rest and improve the microclimate, while building the character of the space. The surface of the square has been designed as a symbolic riverbed and supplemented with educational elements related to the history of the Vistula River in Krakow. [...]
- reads the description of the design of the Grand Army of Napoleon Square.
Square of the Grand Army of Napoleon in Krakow - project of changes
© Garden Team of the City of Krakow
Three zones and a skate park under the Wawel Castle
The area on Powiśle Street will be divided into three zones. In the western part, located near Zwierzyniecka Street, a recreational space is planned - this will be an area dedicated to physical activity. In accordance with last year's declarations by councilors, the new version of the Grand Army of Napoleon square is to serve all residents, regardless of age or type of sports practiced.
The public consultation, in which more than 600 people took part, was very important to us. You indicated the need for more greenery, shade, places to sit, but also space for relaxation, meetings and activities. We directly translated these needs into a design.
- writes Katarzyna Opalka, Gardener of the City of Krakow.
Square of the Grand Army of Napoleon in Krakow - a project of changes
© Team of the Gardener of the City of Krakow
Responding to the results of the first stage of consultations held from November 26 to December 19, 2025, the project features both a playground and a miniature skate-park designed for those who have so far used the square's concrete infrastructure. In addition, a picnic area and a green area planted with pollinator-friendly vegetation are planned for the western part.
Square of the Grand Army of Napoleon in Cracow - project of changes
© Garden Team of the City of Krakow
In the central part of the new square, at the height of the Sheraton Hotel, there will be a rest area. The team of the City Gardener of Krakow planned coffee tables there, benches surrounded by greenery and water bodies with dynamic, wavy contours, crossing the square in several places.
The square of the Grand Army of Napoleon in Krakow - a project of changes
© Garden Team of the City of Krakow
Located closest to the Wawel Castle, the western part of the square by Czerwieński Boulevard will be a cultural space. The square in front of the Tourist Service Center, which has so far served numerous concerts and outdoor events, will not disappear; instead, off-road stands and a ramp will appear.
river museum in vacancy
The redevelopment will also give a second chance to the Tourist Service Center, a pavilion located at the eastern border of Napoleon's Grand Army Square, which has been standing empty for several years. The city plans to create a museum in it dedicated to Krakow's rivers. An invisible but equally important element of the new design of the Grand Army Napoleon Square will be a retention reservoir, buried several meters underground in place of the current parking lot for coaches. The new infrastructure will hold 15,000 cubic meters of water, relieving pressure on last century's storm sewer and protecting nearby tenements from flooding during heavy rainfall. Construction of the retention basin is expected to precede work on the development of the square, taking 18 to 24 months. It can therefore be suspected that the renovation of the entire square will be completed in three years at the earliest.
The square of the Grand Army of Napoleon in Krakow - a project of changes
© Garden Team of the City of Krakow
ills of the green plan
While the green change under Wawel Castle is gratifying, the new project has not been spared some drawbacks. Along Powiśle Street, shade is currently at a premium. The new concept for developing the site introduces some twenty new trees. However, the project does not specify the form in which the plantings will be carried out, and the visualizations allow speculation that a large part of them will be placed in large concrete pots, which could be a constraint on the development of the root system, and consequently less extensive and dense crowns. The relatively large amount of paved surfaces, especially in the central part of the site, also does not inspire optimism.
The western section of Powiśle Street in Krakow
Photo: Zygmunt Put © CC BY-SA 4.0 | Wikimedia Commons
The biggest issue with the revitalization of Napoleon's Grand Army Square, however, turns out to be the scope of the study itself. As one online commentator noted, currently the western section of Powisle Street is heavily scaled - it's a three-lane roadway a dozen meters wide. In practice, few cars move along it, since the Podzamcze Street that precedes it is one-way and also subject to traffic restrictions. Narrowing Powiśle to a width of two lanes would not necessarily affect the real capacity of the road, instead freeing up space for more plantings.
four ideas for the square under Wawel Castle
Could the idea for Napoleon's Grand Army Square have been any different? In order to obtain a concept for the immediate surroundings of Wawel Hill ,an ideological competition was organized , the outcome of which took place during the last edition of the International Architecture Biennale in Cracow, held under the motto "Re-Think." Although the conditions of the competition covered an area extending beyond Napoleon's Grand Army Square (allowing some functions to be located at the very foot of Wawel Castle), and at the same time did not limit the participants with the amount of money needed to implement the concept, the results made it possible to see that the problems of the Podawel "frying pan" can be solved in many different ways.
MBA Krakow 2025 "Re-Think" ideation contest for the development of a concept for the development of the surroundings of Wawel Hill - Third Prize ex-aeqo
proj.: Magdalena Marasik © competition mat.
Wawel Park
Greenery in the square below Wawel Hill was an important theme in most of the four works awarded in the competition. Magdalena Marasik, whose work took third place in the competition, set her sights on almost completely dispensing with paved surfaces, transforming the square of Napoleon's Grand Army into Wawel Park, covered with greenery and interspersed with a grid of pedestrian routes. In addition to taller, mostly existing trees, she proposed dozens of new plantings of "Kansas" ball cherry. The low trees would have a chance to provide a fair amount of shade without disturbing the view of Wawel Hill.
MBA Krakow 2025 "Re-Think" concept competition for the development of the Wawel Hill surroundings - 2nd Prize
proj.: Siarhei Karoza © competition mat.
tunnel to the garage
The problem of the scaled road system was addressed in the work, whose author, Siarhei Karoza, won second place. The project proposed a bold solution to move vehicular traffic underground while preserving the technical access and fire road. Such a version of the square, although costly and difficult to implement, would make it possible to turn the western section of Powisle Street into a woonerf. Reducing the space occupied by the roadway would also allow the new plantings to operate more freely, making it possible to plant larger trees without disturbing the view axes.
Krakow's ugly tradition
Why will such an important and exposed space as the immediate surroundings of Wawel Castle be developed according to the design of an internal local government unit, without an international architectural competition?
A view of Napoleon's Grand Army Square in Krakow
Photo: Mach240390 © CC BY-SA 3.0 | Wikimedia Commons
It is difficult to give a short and clear answer to this question. The Gardening Team of the City of Krakow is an active body of the city, which knows its specifics well and is actively involved in greening Krakow. Recently, the studio of Katarzyna Opałka has already presented several interesting projects, including the reconstruction of the square at the Mogislki traffic circle, the de-concretization of the space in front of the National Museum in Krakow or the second stage of the Railway Park. The concept of developing the square of the Grand Army of Napoleon is therefore part of the direction of its activities. Although the de-concretization of the space under Wawel Castle is part of last year's UMK #DaSię campaign, it is hard not to notice the intensification of announcements made by the Magistrate in recent weeks (with the greening of the square in front of the Magistrate at the forefront), which may be related to the upcoming referendum in Krakow. Perhaps, however, this is simply a continuation of the infamous tradition of Krakow, which has become accustomed to public spaces in the city being designed along the line of least resistance - without competitions, but by municipal teams or through a bidding process.
This does not mean, however, that the design of Napoleon's Grand Army Square can no longer be changed - the easiest way to do this is by participating in the second stage of public consultations, which will begin on April 21, 2026.
