Visit The Former Communist Town Of Nowa Huta In Krakow

Visit Nowa Huta, a former communst town situated in the east of Krakow, to experience one of only two social realist districts ever built.

As Poland struggled to recover from World War II, the Soviet Union funded a project that would eat up a lot of agricultural land and smaller towns, constructing the ‘ideal city’.

It was a massive project that took its toll on many of the workers. For example, one man (Piotr Ożański) allegedly laid 33,000 bricks in a single day.

Reachable by tram from Krakow centre, Nova Huta could not be any more different to the old town. This is no magical fairytale land; this is a cold, concrete suburb. It was deliberately build in a communist style to overshadow Krakow’s rich culture and history.

Is Nowa Huta Safe?

Nowa Huta has had a bad reputation in the past for knife crime and as being the home of some of Poland’s most violent football hooligans. This is no longer the case, though it is still recommended to avoid the area at night.

I told a couple of Polish people in a bar that I was planning to visit. I received two polar opposite responses. One reacted with horror as if to say DON’T GO THERE! The other passed off this reaction as over-the-top and said that Nowa Huta is nothing to be concerned about. In fact, the area is becoming increasingly popular as affordable property is being snapped up by young buyers and coffee shops and restaurants are starting to appear.

I didn’t feel unsafe in Nowa Huta. It was a little bit intimidating at first but that is probably because it is such a contrast to Krakow and the horror stories may have been in the back of my mind.

How To Get To Nowa Huta From Krakow Centre

Nowa Huta is easily reachable from the city centre of Krakow. Check Google Maps from your location and it will show you many options, either by tram or bus. Don’t forget to validate your ticket. The journey takes around 40 minutes.

Alternatively, you could take a ‘Nova Huta Tour’ with a guide. Click the links above for further information and booking details.

Arriving In Nowa Huta

I took a bus which dropped me in ‘Plac Centralny im. R.Reagana’ which is the central point from which you can explore.

You immediately sense this is going to be a very different experience to Krakow centre.

Milk Bar

Milk Bars were workers’ cafes that sold cheap, hot food. They used to be very popular during communist times. They were cheap and nutritious and a lifeline for the country’s poorer citizens. It wasn’t unusual for milk bars to chain the cutlery to the table. More expensive restaurants were seen as ‘capitalist’ and closed down.

After the end of communism, the number of milk bars declined as people’s lives improved.

More recent times has seen the return of milk bars, mainly for tourists wishing to experience some aspect of life under communism. In central Krakow, there are milk bars to be found, but in name only.

‘Bar Mleczny Centralny’ (map) in Nowa Huta is the real deal. It really feels like you are stepping back in time. It is a self-service, canteen-style restaurant. I was the only tourist and I had no idea what was on the menu. I recognised zurek so went with that.

It might not be the most visually appealing food but it was tasty and it set me up for a cold day exploring this communist district.

Nova Huta Coffee Shop

As I began walking through the district, it became apparent just how organised it was. Symmetrical blocks of high-rise flats lined the wide streets. I was looking for coffee but not really expecting to find anything too different to the milk bar. To my surprise, I came across a wonderful coffee-cum-book shop, ‘Cafe NOWA Ksiegarnia’ (map).

The coffee was wonderful and the passion fruit cake was delicious. It had a chilled atmosphere thanks to the soft jazz playing in the background. This place could quite easily exist in the centre of Krakow and may be one of the first signs of a changing Nowa Huta.

Our Lady Queen Of Poland Church

I decided to head towards ‘Our Lady Queen Of Poland Church’ (map) as this would give me a focal point in which I could explore the area. The church was built by locals in between 67-77 as communism did not allow religion and wanted Nowa Huta to be ‘godless’. With sheer defiance, they built a very interesting church with a Noah’s ark shaped roof and a huge crucifix inside.

This was as far away from the centre of Nova Huta as I was planning to go. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to visit the ‘Nova Huta Steel Works’  as advance bookings are necessary and it was a little far to walk. Instead, I headed back towards the centre, stopping at a local market along the way to buy a hat.

Muzeum PRL-u

‘Muzeum PRL-u’ (map) is a small museum documenting the communist era. The highlight is the bomb shelter underneath the museum. All the residential buildings in Nowa Huta had air raid shelters for the residents. The threat of a nuclear attack in the cold war was used as a way to control citizens.

When I visited, there was another air-raid shelter open to the public, situated in the ‘Regional Examination Board in Krakow’ building (map). This was a twenty minute walk and it appeared that they were not used to visitors. They were surprised to see me and didn’t bother checking my ticket. It was not the most amazing museum but it did allow me to see more of Nowa Huta, including another church and an artificial lake.

Nowa Huta Cultural Centre

I returned back to the main square to visit the ‘Nova Huta Cultural Centre’ (map). Here you will find permanent and temporary exhibitions. I had a look around the permanent one first as it was free. They had some cool photos of Polish rock acts. The temporary exhibition was of a Polish artist called ‘Zdzislaw Beksinski’. As I was unfamiliar with his work, I wasn’t sure whether to bother. I am so glad I decided to check out the exhibition.

Beksinski speciality was in the field of dystopian surrealism. His work is very dark and detailed and simply stunning. The exhibition was in a dim room and there was creepy music playing as I moved around. It was like walking into a nightmare. For me, it was the highlight of my day in Nova Huta.

Street Food Court

Close to the cultural centre is a small street food court with vans selling various food. I stopped here for something to eat before taking the bus back to Krakow.

Is Nowa Huta Worth Visiting?

If you are interested in the communist era, then you must visit Nowa Huta. If you have no interest, then I would only recommend you visit Nowa Huta it if you have enough time. There’s not really anything to do here other than take in the stark, cold architecture. Taking a guide would probably be the best way to learn about the area.