The Small Weigh House ( pl, Mała Waga Miejska) is a former structure that existed on the
main square of Kraków, Poland. It was located in between the
cloth hall
A cloth hall or linen hall (german: Gewandhaus; pl, Sukiennice; french: Halle aux draps; nl, Lakenhal) is a historic building located in the centre of the main marketplace of a European town. Cloth halls were built from medieval times into the 18 ...
and
Church of St. Adalbert. Next to it was the
Great Weigh House
The Great Weigh House ( pl, Wielka Waga Miejska) was a prominent building that existed on the main square of Kraków, Poland. It was located in between the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) and Church of St. Adalbert to the east. Next to it was the Sma ...
.
It was a public building in which smaller goods such as soap and resin 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 first information about the existence of the Small Weigh in Kraków dates from the year 1358, but it is difficult to verify whether the original location of this building coincides with the location of the one on the main square.
The building's layout had a rectangular shape with the dimensions of 26.5 x 11.7 metres. During the Renaissance, the building was rebuilt probably by Gasparo Arcani de Mesco, who crowned the attic in the Renaissance style, with coats of arms of the king and the characters Samson, Darius, Xerxes and Scipio. In the years 1748-1749 the building was reinforced with a
buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall. Buttresses are fairly common on more ancient buildings, as a means of providing support to act against the lateral (s ...
. However the importance of the weigh houses diminished and it was probably demolished in first half of the 19th century.
The foundations of the weigh houses were excavated in the early 21st century and incorporated into an underground museum.
See also
*
Kraków Town Hall
The historic Town Hall of Kraków, known as Ratusz in Polish, was demolished in 1820. It was constructed of brick and mortar for the first time in 1316 as one of its subsequent several versions built over the following centuries. It was the city's ...
External links
Image of the Small Weigh House
Buildings and structures in Kraków
Tourist attractions in Kraków
Demolished buildings and structures in Poland
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