Nowa Huta is the youngest district of Cracow, surrounded by five local areas: Czyzyny, Mistrzejowice, Bienczyce, Wzgorza Krzeslawickie and Nowa Huta.

 

Built between 1949 and 1990 years, as outside City, neighbouring with metallurgic conglomerate of Tadeusz Sendzimir (ex. Conglomerate of Lenin), since 1951 year became an administrative district of Cracow. Basically arranged as modern workmen city, according to six years of development plan, is an example of socialism realism urban assumption. The area of Nowa Huta is 110,7 km2. There are living about 220 thousands of people in Nowa Huta. The oldest district of Nowa Huta is XVIII-th District, called also The Old Huta or The Old Nowa Huta. It covers the huge conglomerate and housing estates, creating special image of the district, with its heart in Plac Centralny (Central Square). This area was written in the register of Cracow’s Monuments Protection.

According to archeological surveys, beginning of settlement in Nowa Huta is dated between 4500 and 4000 years B.C. There were existing over a dozen villages in the area of Nowa Huta in medieval times, in which noble stocks were settled. The evidence of this are existing many manor hauses, palaces and sacral objects on this area. Building of Nowa Huta started in 1949 year in areas of: Mogila, Pleszow and Krzeslawice villages, after decision of Boleslaw Bierut, under Jozef Stalin suggestion. He was interested to locate in Poland a huge metallurgical conglomerate in strategic place, not only from availability of water and mineral deposits aspects, but also from political reasons. Building of Wlodzimierz Lenin’s conglomerate near Cracow was focused on opposition to the character of Cracow and its intelligence environment. Nowa Huta was famous in all territory of Poland. Together with a development of the conglomerate, new housing estates for flocking workers were built. The strike of Unionists from the Conglomerate started political system changes in Poland and caused starting of III Rzeczpospolita’s (Republic) creating. The monument of Lenin in Nowa Huta was crushed in 1990 year and the name of Conglomerate was changed into Tadeusz Sendzimir’s Conglomerate.

Actually areas of Nowa Huta are modernized, but the district kept its own specific and climate of the place, opposite to the rest of Cracow. The district i.a. from architectural reasons stayed a real evidence of socialism realism system, which had been established in Poland for many years. The Conglomerate is running its business still, but at the moment is not as famous as it used to be before 1990 year. The most important plant of Nowa Huta is Metallurgical Conglomerate. Actually in the area of Nowa Huta are located the biggest in Poland plants of tobacco and cement. The district has its own communication and services infrastructure and its own cultural center – Nowohuckie Centrum Kultury (The Culture Ceter of Nowa Huta). It is becoming more popular not only from its ex socialism realism attractions, but also from artist’s environment, promoting culture and property of Nowa Huta. Important places in Nowa Huta are: Central Square, “Ludowy” Theatre, “Swit” Cinema or “Cepelia” – The Central of Country’s and Artistic Industry.

• housing estates: “Wanda’s” and “Villas’” – first housing estates, built in Nowa Huta (the first block – number 14 - is located in Wanda’s Housing Estate),
• Wanda’s Memorial Mound – according to the popular legend this is a tumulus of Wanda, the daughter of The Krak Prince,
• Administration Center of Tadeusz Sendzimir’s Conglomerate, called as “Doges’ Palace“,
• Krzeslawice – the manor house of Jan Matejko,
• Solidarity’s Alley,
• Roses’ Alley,
• Friendship’s Alley,
• Cysters’ Monastery in Mogila,
• Wooden Church of Saint Bartlomiej in Mogila,
• The “Ark of Lord” Church,
• Museum of Aviation,
• Museum of Military.