The Jewish Quarter

Before World War II Poland was the largest Jewish Community in Europe, inhabited then by about 3,5 million Jews. 65 thousands where living in Krakow, where till today you can retrace the splendid Jewish culture – although without Jews. The former Jewish town Kazimierz is one of the most popular tourist destinations and has become world famous thanks to the movie The Schindler's List made here by Steven Spielberg. In Kazimierz you can still get the spirit of the old fashioned Jewish life – with old synagogues and tiny coble stoned streets. Nowadays it is also the heart of Krakow' nightlife with its numerous fashionable clubs and cafes.

Going from the Square follow Sienna Street and the Starowiślna Street. On your right pass by Miodowa Street and through the small green square enter Szeroka Street, the heart of the Jewish Quarter. From the Square it takes approx. 15 min to get here.

Szeroka Street

Szeroka Street was the heart of the Jewish Quarter, surrounded by the numerous synagogues and tenement houses of the famous merchants. All the houses had the courtyards and the beautiful decoration inside – till today in many of them we can find the remains of the renaissance decoration or the vaulted ceilings. Very often the sculpture workshops from the Wawel Hill were working in Kazimierz decorating the houses and the temples. In this tiny square there were 4 synagogues, the seat of kahal (the Jewish local authorities), the mikveh (ritual bath, today Klezmer Hois hotel & restaurant, no 6), several prayers' houses and two cemeteries. The architecture of Szeroka Street and its atmosphere still gives us the idea of the Jewish life here before World War II. In the green square (probably the first burial place) there is the Memorial of Holocaust Victims. In the house no 14 the famous Queen of Cosmetics Helen Rubinstein was born (in 1870).

In the evening lots of the restaurants in Szeroka organize concerts of the Jewish Klezmer music – the bands play classic & modern arrangements of the traditional Jewish music. Szeroka Street is also famous for the open air concerts ending the great annual Festival of Jewish Culture, the largest such event in Europe.

Remuh Synagogue & Cemetery

The Reumh synagogue is the only Jewish temple still in use in Krakow and one of the most important places connected with the Jewish culture, due to famous Rabbi Moses Isserles Remuh (died 1572) who was working here and buried in the local cemetery. The temple was founded by the father of Rabbi Remuh, a rich merchant from Regensburg in 1553. The interior of the synagogue with all the furnishings was destroyed by the German Nazis during World War II – today however we can still admire the 16th stone work in Aron Hakodesz (The Holy Ark), the renaissance collection box at the entrance and the wooden door in bima (17th and 18th c., replaced from another synagogue in Galicja ).

Next to the temple there is the Cemetery, the oldest one that remained in Krakow (1553) with the beautiful tombstones (see the decorative details and Hebrew inscriptions) dating back to the 16th -17th c. Lots of famous rabbis, Jewish philosophers, seers and kabbalists were buried here. Behind the synagogue there is the grave of Rabbi Remuh, frequently visited by the Jews. The part of the cemetery was destroyed by the German Nazis. After the war the crushed tombstones were put into the fence of the cemetery, often called The Krakow's Wailing Wall.

The Remuh Synagogue is opened in summer 9.00 AM – 6.00 PM, except for the Sabbath (Saturdays) and the Jewish holidays. In winter in is opened 10.00 AM – 4.00 PM. Entering the Synagogue and the cemetery men are obliged to wear kippa or a cap.

The Old Synagogue

This is the oldest synagogue that remained in Poland, and one of the oldest ones in Europe, founded in the beginning of the 15th c. and rebuilt several times (by Mateo Gucci in the 16th c. , then in the 17th and 19th c.) In a front there is an out-building for women, as till 16th c. they were not allowed to pray in the synagogue. The synagogue was one of the most important in Kazimierz and was used not only for the religious purposes: here the royal decrees used to be announced to the Jewish community, in the 18th c. the synagogue became the scene for the struggle of the rabbinical authorities against the Hasidic movement. In the Old Synagogue in 1786 the official anathema was cas on the Hasidm Jews by the Rabbi. Here Tadeusz Kosciuszko, the Polish national hero gave the speech in 1794 to encourage Jews to support the uprising and the struggle for the independence of Poland.

Today the Old Synagogue is the seat of the Historical Museum of Krakow – the exhibition present the Jewish tradition, customs, holidays, as well as the ritual tools, old photographs or beautiful Jewish paper-cuts. Next to the synagogue on the left you can see the reconstructed remain of the wall surrounding the Jewish Quarter.

Address: Szeroka 24 Street, opened: April – October Mon 10.00 AM – 2.00 PM, Tue-Sun 10.00 Am – 5.00 PM; November-March Mon 10.00 AM – 2.00 PM, Tue closed, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun 9.00 AM – 4.00 PM, Fri 10.00 AM – 5.00 PM

The High Synagogue

Leave Szeroka Street passing by the Old Synagogue on your left and turn right into Jozefa Street. On the right you pass the old Prayers' House Kowea Itim L'Tora (no 42), the former seat of the Society of Studying Tora. On the fasade you can see the remains of the Hebrew inscriptions and the stars of David with the dates of establishing (1810) and the renovation of the house. Next to it there is The High Synagogue, the third one to be built in Kazimierz (1556-63). The main prayers hall was located on the first floor what gave the name of the synagogue. Today inside there is the gallery presenting temporary exhibitions. Follow Jozefa Street.

Jozefa Street

Jozefa Street is one of the most picturesque streets in Kazimierz, with an old fashioned atmosphere, tiny cafes, butiques and second hand shops. The art galleries with the wood shutters in the windows recall the spirit of the Jewish life before World War II, when Kazimierz was inhabited only by the orthodox Jews, tailors, merchants and common people (modern Jews were living in the Old Town). Every year we celebrate the fabulous Festival of Jozefa Street - then it turns into a street from a fairy tale! In Jozefa Street 12 turn right and enter the picturesque courtyard, that was filmed in the Schindler's List. Go through the courtyard and turn right into Meiselsa Street to get to Plac Nowy. On the way you pass by the Center for Jewish Culture, in the building of the former bait-ha-midrasz.

Plac Nowy

Plac Nowy is probably the most famous place in Kazimierz, especially for the locals. Krakow's students and artists come here to sip coffe lazily at noon or for the party in the evening. It has become the centre of the nightlife in Krakow. Plac Nowy is surrounded by the numerous cafes, bars and clubs and is especially vivid Saturdays nights and Sunday mornings when the flea market is organized. In the past it used to be the market place – the round building was the Jewish slaughterhouse, where a Shohet (a Jewish butcher) used to kill animals in kosher way. Turn to Estery Street to reach Miodowa, where the beautiful Temple Synagogue is.

Temple Synagogue

This is the most recent synagogue in Kazimierz – in Krakow the recent means 150 years old... This temple was build in 1860-62 for the progressive (modern) Jewish community. The ceremonies in the synagogue – prayers in Polish or German (not in Hebrew as in the orthodox synagogues), organ music and other very moder practices used to rouse indignation among the orthodox Jewish communities. The interior of the synagogue is splendid: wall painting and the wooden carvings. This synagogue is still used – but only occasionally. Leaving synagoue turn left and follow Miodowa Street – on the right you pass by the Kupa Synagogue, built in the 17th c. (see the interior with the remains of the wall paintings with the Hebrew inscriptions and the magnificent Aron Hakodesz- the Holy Ark).

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