Biecz is a small, historic town that competed with Krakow in the Middle Ages for the title of the most important cultural center of Małopolska. The magnificent Gothic Corpus Christi Collegiate Church and several other interesting monuments have been preserved here.
From the time of its creation, the stronghold and then the city of Biecz have been an important point on the trade route leading to Hungary. Due to its location, it was also a defensive point and guarded the border and nearby routes against invasions and robbers' attacks. As one of the few in the region, Biecz had the right of the sword, i.e. the possibility of executing death sentences. He also kept his own executioner, which was borrowed from other centers. Hence the legend of the executioners' school in Biecz, popularized by Andrzej Waligórski.
In the Middle Ages, Biecz was often visited by rulers going to Hungary. Duchess Kinga and Queen Jadwiga often stayed here, who founded a hospital for the poor, the building of which has survived to this day. The city walls with the Blacksmith Tower, in which the museum currently operates, and the Soviet Tower, have also been partially preserved. Next to the latter, there is the Renaissance Barianów-Rokicki Tenement House and together they form the House with Tower Museum with an exhibition devoted to pharmacy.
The biggest attraction and monument in Biecz is the gothic Corpus Christi Collegiate Church with a well-preserved complex of a dozen or so altars, which were founded in the past by craftsmen guilds operating in the city. In the Middle Ages, there was a school at the collegiate church, the graduates of which were immediately admitted to the Krakow Academy. He studied here, among others Marcin Kromer, in whose alleged house is currently the Kromera House Museum.
Above the market square there is a high town hall tower decorated with sgraffito decorations. There used to be a prison in its basement. Today, from the top you can admire wonderful panoramas of the area.
