Krakow – royal splendor and dragons

Kazimierz is the historic Jewish quarter of Krakow, which today is full of life – galleries, cafes, synagogues and cultural events. Kazimierz combines the weight of the past with the spirit of the modern city.

It was founded in 1335 by King Casimir III the Great, who gave it his name. For a long time, Kazimierz was an independent city, with its own walls, markets and administrative buildings. In the 17th century, it was included in the borders of Krakow. From the end of the 14th century, a large Jewish community settled there, which turned Kazimierz into the center of Jewish life in Poland. Until World War II, the quarter had dozens of synagogues and schools, and a vibrant cultural and religious life. During the Nazi occupation, the Jews of Kazimierz were moved to the ghetto in Podgórze, and most of them died in the camps.

Today, the district includes the Old Synagogue (Stara Synagoga) – the oldest preserved synagogue in Poland (15th century), now a museum of Jewish culture, the Remu Synagogue and the Jewish cemetery – an important religious site, a still operating synagogue, and the Tempel, Isaac, Huba, and Popper Synagogues – each with its own history and architectural details.

On Plac Nowy (New Square), a lively place with a market and the famous round building Okrąglak (Okrąglak), you can try delicious snacks, including the popular Krakow “zapieńki”. There are many cafes, antique shops, galleries, and art spaces that give the district a bohemian look.

The district is the heart of Jewish culture in Krakow – the Jewish Culture Festival is held there every year, attracting visitors from all over the world. The place is full of contrasts: old buildings with an authentic patina, next to them modern bars, restaurants and boutiques.

The whitewashed corridor between 17 Beera Meiselsa Street and 12 Josefa Street in Kazimierz is famous for some of the most memorable visual effects in Steven Spielberg’s cinematic masterpiece Schindler’s List. Today, this alley has retained the same unique character that made it so attractive for Spielberg’s set and is casually known as “Schindler’s Passage.” Inside, you’ll find information boards, as well as several small galleries, vintage and antique shops, and the Wódka café-bar, while next door is the seasonal Mleczarnia beer garden. In the neighboring Podgórze district, across the river, where the Kraków Ghetto was located during the war, you can visit Schindler’s Factory. Oskar Schindler was a German industrialist who bought an enamelware factory in Kraków during the Nazi occupation. Thanks to his influence and cunning, he managed to recruit and save from deportation and death in the camps over 1,100 Jews, listed on the famous “Schindler’s List.”