Nowa Huta can boast of monumental architecture. Its best examples can bee seen at the Central Square (Plan Centralny) – the main part of the district.

The industrial complex of Nowa Huta was built in the late 1940s. Nowadays suburbs of Krakow, situated about 10km from the city center, used to be an old village. The area was, however, inhabited continuously since neolithic. Archeological researches show that it was a place of Celtic and Poland's oldest Slavic settlements. In 8th century the Slavic tribe of  Vistulans erected a mound - called nowadays the Wanda Mound, as it is believed to be a tomb of Wanda, daughter of Krak (mythical founder of Krakow). In 13th century a Cistercian monastery was built in Mogiła village. In 1949, after establishment of People's Republic of Poland in 1945, a separate town near Krakow was erected from former villages of Mogiła, Pleszów and Krzesławice. It was planned to be a huge centre of heavy industry and an ideal place for the communist propaganda.
The aim of raising this area, steelworks factory together with housing blocks, was to give a space to the working class and therefore lessen the influence of anti-Communist intelligentsia and religious communities in Krakow.

„Huta Sendzimira” – the Steel Work Factory in Krakow gave work to many newcomers who inhabited newly built district of Nowa Huta.

The steelworks, however, appeared to be the center of opposition to Communist government.
The area has nowadays a population of 200 thousand and still differs from the rest of the city with its monumental Socialist architecture – represented especially in the central part (Plac Centralny). The Lenin statue that used to stand in the middle of the square was replaced by a replica of Gdansk Crosses in 1990. The streets of housing blocks stretch out in all directions of the square. The most characteristic feature of Nowa Huta's centre is its composition (compact, harmonious and orderly arranged) that gives an impression of designer's profound vision. The structures of the Centralny Square bring to mind Renaissance and Baroque structures.  

The Church of the Ark in Nowa Huta was the first church to be built in newly created area. It was made of concrete – characteristic material of communist architecture.

Erecting Steelwork plant was based on the agreement, according to which the Soviet Union was to supply technical documentation for the future plant, major part of the machinery, supervision and trainings for the future Polish team. The former LeninSteelworks (renamed afterwards to the Sendzimir’s) is now undergoing numerous obstacles – however, its definite closing would bring on a great loss of employment in this area.
One can reach Nowa Huta by trams (4, 9, 15 or 22) and getting off at the Plac Centralny stop.
An important heritage of this district are churches – especially because original plan of Nowa Huta didn’t include building any of them (according to anti-religious Communist policy). The permission to build the first one was given in 1970s. The Church of the Ark is a great ark-like entity made of concrete and encrusted with mountain pebbles. In the upper level of the interior there is a marble altar in the shape of an open hand, a tabernacle that symbolises the universe and a highly expressive Crucified Christ.