History

The original brick building was built in the first quarter of the 14th century. The present-day plan of the building was established during the extension in the late the 14th and early 15th centuries. In the second half of the 14th century, a rear annexe was added and later enlarged (in the 15th century) into a structure with an unusual, two-bay layout; the floors of the two buildings were connected over a porch on stone supports (one has survived). Also, a lower side annexe was added. The house was owned, among others, by the higher class Czeczotka family. In 1599 they sold it to Ludwik Biffi. At the turn of the 16th century, when the house was in the hands of Hieronim Konrad, the entire complex was re-designed in the late Renaissance style. The second floor was added. Another remodelling project was carried out after destruction of the interior during the Swedish occupation of the city. At the same time, the third floor on the front building and two-level vaulted porches with open arcaded galleries on the east side of the yard were added. In the 17th century, the property was occupied by the Węgrzynowicz family. Before 1787 a showy three-flight staircase was built. In the years 1796-1809, the building housed an Austrian military pharmacy and after that (until 1813) a Polish pharmacy. The poorly managed house fell into decay; in 1819 it was acquired by Maciej Sokalski and thoroughly restored. In the years 1846-1873, the house was held by K. Zubowski. After a fire in 1850, the building required another renovation. The year 1877 saw another transformation of the house carried out by the merchant Juliusz Gross. He also took care to expose and restore the historical ceilings. Also, the building received a new façade. The annexes were renovated in 1889. At the turn of the 19th century, one of the annexes was occupied by the renowned metal company run by W. Kosydarski. The building was renovated in 1964 and after 1970.

Description

A narrow, four-level, three-axis house with a gate (and portal) shifted in relation to the building axis. A mullion preserved in one of the windows in the so-called “rear chamber” comes from the 17th-century reconstruction. An interesting fact is that the house has retained in authentic larch ceilings. Also, the Baroque courtyard is worth seeing. The name of the house is taken from the image of a canary painted on a board over the entrance portal, unfortunately removed during a renovation in 1877.

The site is partly available: freely from the outside but inside only during the working hours of the stores and institutions.

Author of the note Roman Marcinek, Regional Branch of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage in Kraków 20/04/2016

Bibliography

• Dyba O., Kraków. Zabytki architektury i budownictwa, Warszawa 2007
• Encyklopedia Krakowa, Warszawa – Kraków 2000.
• Fabiański M., Purchla J., Historia architektury Krakowa w zarysie, Kraków 2001
• Komorowski W., Sudacka A., Rynek Główny w Krakowie, Ossolineum 2008
• Rożek M., Przewodnik po zabytkach i kulturze Krakowa, Kraków 1993
• Marcinek R., Kraków, Kraków 2001