Kleparz

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Kleparz – a borough of Kraków situated to the north of the Old Town. It was a separate town in the years between 1366 and 1792.

[edit] History

The first known settlement at the nowadays Kleparz territory was founded before 1184. In this year the Church of St. Florian was erected by the Kraków Bishop Gedko. The settlement grew very fast in number and size, so it soon was known as the Alta civitas and had about one thousand inhabitants as well as 2380 horses. Casimir the Great granted it the location rights in 1366 and named it after the St. Florian Church Florencja. The town was built of wood around the new market square and its citizens mainly were craftsmen, especially smiths and tailors. In the next century the new name Kleparz or lat. Clepardia replaced the former one. It was burned down several times during wars or by other great fires in 1476, 1528, 1655, 1657, 1755 and 1768. In 1792 it was incorporated into the city of Kraków by the decision of the Great Sejm. In the 19th century Kleparz was rebuilt with new residential mansions in historical and art nouveau style.

[edit] Sights

The most interesting sights in Kleparz are around the Jan Matejko Square and the Market Square. The first is surrounded by the School of Fine Arts, the St. Florian Church and the Grunwald Monument.