Barbican was built at the end of the fifteenth century (1498-1499) and was the strongest element of the fortifications of the city of Krakow extended over the centuries.
In the Codex of Balthazar Behem, there is information that the cornerstone for its construction was laid by the Polish king Jan Olbracht himself. The fact that the king took a personal interest in the progress of the works and spared no expense proves his commitment. It was advisable to hurry up with the implementation of the plan because at that time the threat to the Polish state from the Wallachians, Tatars, and Turks was growing.
Barbican is a remarkable monument of defensive architecture. It was built on an incomplete circular plan, in the proportion of 6/10, and was originally connected with the Florian Gate.
In the Barbican there was one of the main gates of the city, facing Kleparz and positioned west of the Florian Gate passage by an angle of about 30 degrees. There used to be a bridge running from it over the moat, partly drawbridge-like, supported on stone and brick pillars.