St. Mary’s Trumpet Call in Kraków Hejnal. Hours and where is it?

Kraków in Poland is full of intangible symbols. One such symbol is the Hejnał Mariacki, or as some prefer to call it, the Hejnał from the tower of St. Mary’s Church located next to the Main Market Square. It is one of the most popular Kraków traditions and, alongside the Wawel Dragon, one of the biggest tourist attractions. Where can you hear the Hejnał in Kraków? What are the Hejnał hours in Kraków? We also advise whether the Hejnał in Kraków is played at night and whether you need to pay for the St. Mary’s Trumpet Call in Kraków.

The Hejnał from St. Mary’s Tower (St. Mary’s Trumpet Call) is a short melody played by a trumpeter sitting in the tower called the Hejnalica, the northern tower of St. Mary’s Church located right next to the Market Square in Kraków. The famous Kraków Hejnał is one of the city’s greatest symbols.

According to legend, this melody was used to warn the city’s inhabitants of invasions, and it ends abruptly because, according to the legend, the trumpeter was hit by a stray arrow. Is the trumpeter of Kraków based on a true story? Of course not. There was no stray arrow, and these are made-up stories loosely based on real facts.

In fact, from the tower of St. Mary’s Church in Kraków, for years, at least since 1392, an alarm melody was played, for example, to warn of fires. The Hejnał we know today officially appeared on February 13, 1838, and was initially played at noon. Why does the trumpet play every hour in Kraków? Because it is a centuries-old Kraków tradition.

Where is the Hejnał played in Kraków?

As mentioned above, the Hejnał Mariacki in Kraków is played from the tower of the church located right next to the Market Square in Kraków. The easiest way to hear it is by standing on the Market Square or near the church. The Hejnał is played in four directions, so if you are in the very center of Kraków during the hour when the trumpeter plays, you will likely hear it. It is best to stand by the Adam Mickiewicz monument on the Main Market Square.

What are the Hejnał hours?

In the past, the Hejnał in Kraków was only played at noon, but now the situation is completely different. The trumpeter, during his shift, plays the Hejnał 48 times a day. This means that one trumpeter plays 12 times, 4 times in each direction.

The Hejnał Mariacki is, of course, played live. The trumpeter sticking his trumpet out of the tower windows is easy to see if you are standing below.

What are the Hejnał hours in Kraków? The Hejnał in Kraków is played four times every full hour. Is the Hejnał played at night? Yes, the Hejnał in Kraków can also be heard at night, so it is played 24 hours a day.

The legend of the Hejnał

The most famous Hejnał in Kraków is played at 12:00 noon because it was once broadcast live on Polish Radio, the main Polish public radio station.

Summary: when and where is the Hejnał in Kraków? The Hejnał from St. Mary’s Tower in Kraków is played four times every full hour, even during the night. It is, of course, played live by employed trumpeters from the Fire Brigade.

If you want to listen to the Hejnał, it is best to position yourself at the full hour under the tower of St. Mary’s Basilica or stand on the Main Market Square. There is no need to buy any tickets; it is a completely free attraction.

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