The Kraków nativity scene is unique in the world. It’s a slender, multi-storey, tower-like, richly decorated building, constructed of lightweight, non-durable materials. It’s characterised by an accumulation of fancifully transformed and interconnected miniaturised elements of the Kraków’s historic architecture: St Mary’s Basilica, the Cloth Hall, Wawel Royal Castle, Wawel Cathedral, St Florian’s Gate, the Barbican, well-known churches and many other buildings associated with Kraków which are used as a setting for the Christmas scene. In addition to the Holy Family, it features figures from local legends, national heroes, figures known from folk ceremonies, as well as personalities from the world of politics, culture and art. The nativity scenes this relate to local traditions and beliefs, historical events as well as our everyday life.
Kraków’s custom of ‘visiting’ houses with a nativity scene dates back to the 19th century. However, after World War I, it slowly began to disappear. To preserve the tradition for future generations, Jerzy Dobrzycki, in charge of the city hall’s propaganda department, organised the first Kraków Nativity Scene Contest in 1937. After World War II, the competitions were resumed and their organisation was undertaken by the Museum of Kraków, which continues this tradition to the present day. The aim of the competition is to preserve and develop Kraków’s particular tradition, which stands behind the typical Kraków nativity scene, evolving over several decades, which became a worldwide phenomenon of established international renown and popularity. The competition is of great importance for the promotion and popularisation of this unique product of intangible heritage tradition.
The uniqueness of the phenomenon is underlined by its inclusion on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014. In addition, as of 2018, the tradition of making nativity scenes is the first Polish entry on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Every year on the first Thursday of December, nativity scene makers bring their creations to Main Market Square and place them on the steps of the Adam Mickiewicz monument. After St. Mary’s Trumpet Call at 12:00, a procession of nativity scenes sets off around the Market Square, and then the creators take their works to the Krzysztofory Palace, where their creations are judged by a jury of historians, ethnographers, art historians, architects and visual artists.
As tradition dictates, the nativity scenes are open to the public at the post-contest exhibition at Krzysztofory Palace – this year from 8 December 2025 to 1 March 2026.
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Open: Mon–Sun 9am–6pm (last entrance at 5pm, for groups at 4:45pm)
Tickets: PLN 30/23, family PLN 60, on Mondays PLN 10
24 i 25.12.2025, 1.01.2026 closed
9, 19.12.2025 9am–2pm
26.12.2025, 6.01.2026 10.00am–6pm
31.12.2025 10am–3pm
