Michalik's Den

Jama Michalika, also known as Cukiernia Lwowska (Lviv Confectionery), is a café and restaurant located at 45 Floriańska Street in Kraków. Established in 1895 by Jan Apolinary Michalik, it quickly became a meeting place for artists, writers, and the Kraków bohemian crowd. Its interior, designed by Karol Frycz, was distinguished by its original décor, including stained-glass windows and colorful paintings. In 1904, the literary cabaret "Zielony Balonik" (The Green Balloon) was inaugurated on the premises and quickly gained popularity thanks to performances by famous personalities such as Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński. After the war, the venue underwent renovation but lost some of its former splendor. In the 1950s, influenced by Jerzy Grotowski, the Young Creators' Club "Czerwony Balonik" (The Red Balloon) was established, though Grotowski soon left Kraków. In the following years, the venue experienced changes in ownership and bankruptcies, and its popularity declined. Between 1960 and 1991, the literary and artistic cabaret Jama Michalik operated there, continuing the tradition of the Zielony Balonik. After the political transformations of 1989, the venue was renovated, restoring its cultural significance and gaining a new owner who, in 2014, was honored with the title of Patron of Kraków's Culture. Jama Michalik is characterized not only by its rich architectural history but also by its extraordinary cultural heritage, providing opportunities for collaboration with numerous artists and writers, as well as hosting exhibitions and poetry evenings. Among the interesting facts is that the venue was used as a filming location for many well-known movies, and its first master of ceremonies was Jan August Kisielewski. Despite numerous upheavals, Jama Michalik remains an important landmark on Kraków's cultural map.