Postcard - Lublin. Kraków Gate

The silhouette of the medieval Krakowska Gate stood out for centuries in the landscape of Lublin. After the dry moat on the side of the suburb called Krakowskie had been filled up at the beginning of the 17th century and the weighing scales for grain had been moved there, an area called Korce began to take shape in front of the Krakowska Gate. Its name referred to the former measure of the volume of loose goods, such as grain. The commercial character of the place meant that the square in front of the Gate gradually became a meeting place for locals and visitors. In the second quarter of the 19th century a fragment of this square, delineated by the intersection of Królewska, Lubartowska and Krakowskie Przedmieście streets, took on a distinct shape. Initially, it was called the Royal Square. In 1917, it was renamed to Wladyslaw Lokietek Square to commemorate the ruler to whom Lublin owed its incorporation rights.

The final appearance of the square was formed in 1939. The one-storey building next to the magistrate's office on the side of Lubartowska Street was demolished. After the destruction of World War II, the burnt buildings in the vicinity of the Krakowska Gate were rebuilt, preserving the old line of development. The historic gate, visible on old photographs, was plastered. After restoration in the 1960s, its original appearance was restored, uncovering its stone and brick Gothic face.