Krakow Attractions
The Old Synagogue © emmanueldyan
Kazimierz District and the Old Synagogue
Once a separate town and now an inner suburb of Krakow, the
Kazimierz quarter was the centre of Jewish religion, culture and
learning and the home of the city’s large Jewish population
before the war. Badly damaged during the Nazi occupation, with most
of the residents either killed or deported to the nearby death
camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau during the Holocaust, today it has
been rebuilt so visitors can admire the restored historical
architecture and experience daily Jewish life. Its renewed interest
was brought about by Spielberg's film
Schindler’s
List that was set in Kazimierz, and the Jewish culture of the
area is being livened up by art galleries, kosher restaurants and
specific cultural events. The Old Synagogue is part of the
Historical Museum of the City of Krakow, and houses a permanent
exhibition, ‘Tradition and Culture of Polish Jews’,
where the collection of physical memories from the Kazimierz Jewish
community is kept.
Address: Old Synagogue: Ulica Szeroka 24;
Telephone: (0)12 422 0962;
Transport: Tram 3, 9, 11 or 13;
Opening time: Old Synagogue: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 3.30pm; Friday 11am to 6pm; closed Mondays
