krakow - poland - 14-16 november 2025

 Kraków, officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596, and has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life. Cited as one of Europe's most beautiful cities, its Old Town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, one of the world's first sites granted the status.

 The city began as a hamlet on Wawel Hill and was a busy trading centre of Central Europe in 985. In 1038, it became the seat of Polish monarchs from the Piast dynasty, and subsequently served as the centre of administration under Jagiellonian kings and of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth until the late 16th century, when Sigismund III transferred his royal court to Warsaw. With the emergence of the Second Polish Republic in 1918, Kraków reaffirmed its role as the nucleus of a national spirit.

The Old Town and historic centre of Kraków, along with the nearby Wieliczka Salt Mine, are Poland's first World Heritage Sites. Its extensive cultural and architectural legacy across the epochs of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture includes Wawel Cathedral and Wawel Royal Castle on the banks of the Vistula, St. Mary's Basilica, Saints Peter and Paul Church, and the largest medieval market square in Europe, Rynek Główny. Kraków is home to Jagiellonian University, one of the oldest universities in the world and often considered Poland's most reputable academic institution of higher learning. The city also hosts a number of institutions of national significance, including the National Museum, Kraków Opera, Juliusz Słowacki Theatre, National Stary Theatre, and the Jagiellonian Library.

Kraków is classified as a global city with the ranking of "high sufficiency" by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. The city is served by John Paul II International Airport, the country's second busiest airport and the most important international airport for the inhabitants of south-eastern Poland. In 2000, Kraków was named European Capital of Culture. In 2013, Kraków was officially approved as a UNESCO City of Literature. The city hosted World Youth Day in 2016, and the European Games in 2023

 The KS Cracovia Centennial Hall with the Center for Disabled Sports is a unique sports and entertainment venue on the map of Kraków. Opened in 2018, the hall stands out both architecturally and functionally. Dozens of events are held there each year — from national league matches to world-class events such as World Championships, European Championships, and World Cups in various disciplines, as well as festivals, trade fairs, and industry meetings. In 2024 alone, these events attracted over 80,000 attendees. On a daily basis, the hall hosts a variety of sports classes and training sessions, many of which support the mission of developing sports for people with disabilities.

 An innovative and multifunctional complex, it is distinguished by its remarkable architecture. The hall has received numerous awards and honors. It earned the title of “Sports Architecture of the Region – Małopolska Landmark 2018,” and in the 9th edition of the Stanisław Witkiewicz Award of the Małopolska Region, it was recognized as the best realization in the public utility architecture category for 2018. It also received a special award in the “Kraków Without Barriers” competition, was awarded in the service facility category in the 4th edition of the “Accessibility Leader” Architectural and Urban Planning Competition, was named Sports Facility of the Year 2019, and the project’s architects from Lewicki Łatak Design Studio won the Grand Prix of the POLITYKA Architecture Award.

 Located in the heart of Kraków on Focha Avenue — between Kraków’s Błonia Commons and the Rudawa River — the hall is also very well connected and easily accessible by both public transport and private vehicles.

 In addition to its sports infrastructure, the facility features modern and comfortable hotel amenities, a café, and a unique 700 m² rooftop viewing terrace that offers panoramic views of the Błonia and Kościuszko Mound. Outside the hall, there is a green area suitable for outdoor activities, as well as a professional 3×3 basketball court with bleachers, which in 2023 hosted the Kraków-Małopolska European Games. It was on this very court that the Polish men’s national team won the bronze medal!