Great Weigh House

Historical photograph of the Great Weigh House

The Great Weigh House (Polish: Wielka Waga Miejska) is a former structure that existed on the main square of Kraków, Poland. It was located in between the cloth hall and Church of St. Adalbert. Next to it was the Small Weigh House.

It was a public building in which goods, and the like, were weighed. As public control of the weight of goods was crucial, it was run by the local authorities who would use the weights for the levying of taxes on goods transported through or sold within the city.

The Great Weigh was probably originally a wooden building. It was first mentioned in 1302. By the second half of the 14th century, it was rebuilt as a brick structure. The importance and role of the weigh house diminished however by the 17th and 18th century. The structure was demolished in 1868 or possibly 1875.

The foundations of the weigh houses were excavated in the early 21st century and incorporated into an underground museum.

See also

Coordinates: 50°03′40″N 19°56′15″E / 50.0611°N 19.9375°E / 50.0611; 19.9375


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