Krakow's main city gate, Brama Florianska, was made insurmountable in the beginning of the XVIth century thanks to Europe's mightiest barbican. The circular marvel of military architecture surrounds space 24.4 meter in diameter. Its high walls are three meters thick. The awesome structure, topped with seven turrets, has 130 loopholes in four rows: the lower to be used by artillery, the upper for archers and riflemen.
In the past the Krakow barbican (Barbakan in Polish) was surrounded by a 30-meter-wide, deep moat. However, if the enemy had forced their way in, they would have found themselves entrapped inside and shoot at from all sides. The barbican was connected with the Brama Florianska gate tower by a drawbridge and a walled passage. Nowadays the 500-year-old fortification serves occasionally for a summer concert hall, theater etc.

The barbican is included in the tour of the Brama Florianska gate tower and adjacent medieval fortifications. They are open to visitors daily from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sightseers enter through the Baszta Pasamonikow tower at the eastern end of Pijarska street at Szpitalna street. Besides the barbican the tour consists of the parapet walk of the remnants of the city walls, the neo-Gothic upstairs chapel of the Brama Florianska gate, and the Brama Stolarska tower. A normal ticket costs six zlotys.