This unique award is given by Krakow city council for the outstanding contribution in Polish art and culture. Till this moment only few artists were honoured by this award:
- Jan Matejko in 1877, who gave it back to the city as a protest against the demolishing of the buildings of the Holy Spirit Hospital;
- Ludwik Solski in 1945;
- Bolesław Drobner in 1960.