Nowa Huta: A Walking Tour of Kraków's Ideal Communist City
Tour explores Kraków’s communist past in Nowa Huta, the model socialist district: visit Centralny Square, walk along the Avenue of Roses, see the site where the Lenin statue was attacked, and discover the ‘Ark of the Lord’ church and the Nowa Huta Cross. Along the way, we trace postwar urban planning, workers’ protests, and the rise of Solidarity.
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Basic Information
Total time
2h 30m
Language
English, Spanish, Polish (check the calendar for availability)
Price
Our “Pay What You Wish” tours don’t have a fixed price — you decide how much the experience was worth. At the end of the tour, please make a fair contribution that reflects your satisfaction and appreciation for your guide’s work. Most guests give between €10 and €50 per person.
Meeting point
The middle of the Central Square (Plac Centralny) Nearest public transport: Plac Centralny im. R. Reagana 04 tram stop; Plac Centralny im. R. Reagana 03 tram stop
Additional info
☂︎ This tour is organised by Walkative Krakow guides. Look for the guide with the yellow umbrella.
♿️ Tour suitable for people with reduced mobility and strollers
❗Our tours run in all weather conditions. High or low temperatures, rain, or snow are never a reason for us to cancel. We’re always here for you! The only reasons for cancellation are extreme weather conditions (such as heavy storms), a guide’s sudden illness, or if there are fewer than 5 registered participants. In such cases, we will always notify you using the contact information you provided when booking the tour.Booking rules
Booking is obligatory. Our “Pay What You Wish” tours are meant for individual travellers and small groups. Large groups (8 or more people) cannot join these tours, as they significantly affect the experience for others and the guide. For school trips, organised tours, or groups of friends, please book our paid option (18€ per person) or arrange a Private Tour. For more information or to schedule a group visit, please contact us directly.
About the tour
Those were the days when Kraków’s veins were running with coal and steel and the glorious, royal past of the city didn’t matter anymore. The world was on the eve of the Cold War and Nowa Huta, the communist district of Kraków, was built to fight and resist it.
Visit with us Nowa Huta, one of the two still existing ideal communist cities in the world, and get a chance to learn about the representative part of Nowa Huta – monumental Central Square and the Avenue of Roses, and enter the ‘Ark of Lord’ church, a symbol of spiritual resistance of Catholic workers against the communist party will.
An ideal communist city, monumental and grand, was built in a country that had just started to raise itself from the rubble of World War II. But, for the Communist Party, the costs of its construction were meaningless. Tangible proof of communist power was the only thing that mattered.
This ideal city, where religion was replaced with communist propaganda, was supposed to be inhabited by ideal communist citizens: Homo Sovieticus. A new and better type of people, obedient, brainwashed and entirely devoted to the system. They were to replace the old chaotic, stubborn, free-willed and creative Homo Sapiens. But, nothing lasts forever. Eventually, the creatures turned against their masters. The people of Nowa Huta revolted and fought for freedom.
Join us and we will tell you the story of a heroic struggle of Polish workers, initiators of great strikes and protests that eventually started the fall of a Communist Block, and the beginnings of the biggest social movement of all times – Solidarity. All this takes place in the surroundings of one of the best examples of an ideal communist city, which today, surprisingly, has so much to offer.
Highlights
- 1
Ideal Communist City
Discover Nowa Huta, one of the world's few ideal communist cities, built after WWII.
- 2
Central Square
The monumental heart of the district, a prime example of socialist realist urban planning.
- 3
Avenue of Roses
The district's representative boulevard, where a massive statue of Vladimir Lenin once stood.
- 4
The Nowa Huta Cross
Learn about the famous cross that became the focus of a fierce fight for religious freedom.
- 5
Solidarity Movement
Hear about the workers' revolt that helped spark the fall of the entire Communist Bloc.
- 6
Ark of Lord Church
A modernist masterpiece and a powerful symbol of spiritual resistance against the atheist communist regime.
Map
The middle of the Central Square (Plac Centralny) Nearest public transport: Plac Centralny im. R. Reagana 04 tram stop; Plac Centralny im. R. Reagana 03 tram stop
Our customers said about us
Krakow
5.0Walking tour Nowa Huta
This was a fascinating tour of a part of Kraków I knew nothing about. Ania, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable, engaging and fun. Would recommend this tour for anyone with an interest in 20th century history.
Krakow
5.0Fascinating insight into Communist history
Thank you to Tomasz (Big Tom) who made our tour of Nowa Huta one of the highlights of our trip to Krakow. Our attention was held for the full two and a half hours. The tour really improved our understanding of Poland’s communist past and was interspersed with lots of good humour! If you are in to your history, this is a must-do while in Krakow.
Krakow
5.0Nora Ferguson
Walking tour of Nowa Huta
Ania was a superb guide! Fun, engaging, patient and enthusiastic. My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed the tour. We could have toured all day with Ania!
Krakow
4.0Laura
Interesting tour
Nice experience in the Nowa Huta neighborhood, outside the more touristic Kraków. Damian explained the history and some interesting facts about it, while trying to picture how life during communism was. The tour lasted two hours and a half, with a short break in the middle.
Krakow
5.0Alex
Explore another part of the city
Ania told interesting stories about this district. Im glad that we visited this place outside of the city center!
Krakow
5.0Eugenia
Interesting thing about "new" Krakow
Today I went on a tour of Nowa Huta in Krakow. It was a new experience. The tour was well organized, especially considering the hot July weather. Our guide Chris did a great job — he talked about the history of Nowa Huta with real enthusiasm and passion. It was fascinating to learn not only about the old town, but also about the "new" Krakow — its socialist past, unique architecture, and the life in a district that was once designed as the ideal communist city.
Krakow
5.0Lucia
Something not to be missed
Dynamic, interesting, and different. The guide was super generous: he spent a little more time than expected on the tour, almost three hours, and the time had flown by.
Krakow
5.0Jan Karle Birgitta Fijen
We booked a tour with tourguide Chris in Nowa Huta. And the whole trip of three hours he tells all very interesting story’s about the development of the area, the people who were living there, politics, architecture etc. And not for one moment we felt bored. Chris was raised in Nowa Huta as a child so he could also tell about his own experience. It was a very worthwil trip and I truly recommand it! Thank you so much Chris!
Krakow
5.0Henrik
Highly informative and entertaining tour of Nowa Huta
This tour was as superbly guided with well chosen stories from the past 100+ years of Poland and Krakow, the role of the party, the church, the people and of the Sovjet Union. Our guide (Big Tom) grew up in the area and gave a lot insight into how life was then and is today. All spiced up with good humour 🙏😁🤗
Krakow
5.0Harald and Simonetta
A very interesting immersion into former communist Poland
Our guide Chris grew up in this area, so he knows all about it at first hand. He entertained us with a lot of fascinating stories about the buildings, the nearby former steel factory, the Solidarnosc movement, the power of the church in Poland, and about a hated monument. Although the weather was rough during our tour, with occasional snowfall and heavy rain, we enjoyed it very much and at the same time learned a great deal about modern Polish history! Thanks Chris!
