Discover one of the main quarters of Krakow with Tour Travel & More
Before the Second World War, Krakow was the 4th biggest largest jewish settlement in Poland.
Kazimierz was founded by King Kazimierz the great in 1335, who decided to build this new area because the city was overcrowded. It was originally built as a separate town. During the first period it was one of the most dominant and flourishing cities in Europe. The city of Kazimierz was only incorporated to Krakow in 1800.
Because Poland was one of the most tolerant places in Europe, the jewish community from Germany, Italy, Spain, Czech Republic and more countries decided to settle in Kazimierz. In this first period 3 synagogues were built in the quarter.
The jewish community at the time grew rapidly, turning Kazimierz into an important centre of intellectual and cultural Jewish life
The last years before World War Two the quarter turned into a typical Eastern European “Schtetl”, being inhabited by poor and orthodox Jews. Kazimierz remained an exotic area of Krakow, deeply immersed in history, until 1939.
The forced transfer of the jewish ghetto to Podgórze and the concentration camps during World War Two led most of the jewish community to the concentration camps in Oświęcim and Bełżec. Only a 10% of the community were able to escape from Krakow and Poland and survive the holocaust.
As you can imagine, Kazimierz hosts a stunning history and very interesting historical sites. Even though the jewish population of Poland lowered significantly they found a way to revive their cultural identity. Therefore Kazimierz has become a place of their cultural significance.
Main historical sites
There are many sites that you can visit in Kazimierz. The most emblematic of them is the old synagogue, the oldest in Krakow. It is considered as one of the most precious jewish heritages in Europe. There are other synagogues you can visit, such as Remuh and Isaac synagogues.
Another well known place is the Schindler Factory Museum. Here you can learn about the horrors of World War II and the role of Oskar Schindler. In Kazimierz is where Steven Spielberg decided to shoot “Schindler’s list“.
One of the main sites of Kazimierz quarter in Krakow is the Ghetto heroes square. This place was once the biggest open space in Krakow Ghetto. Nowadays the square is filled with 33 memorial chairs of iron and bronze. These chairs symbolise the tragedy of the Polish Jews during the Second World War and the German occupation of Poland.
Kazimierz hosts also diverse squares. The two main squares are Nowy square, where most of the local nightlife happens, and the market square. At Nowy square you may find antique fairs, each Saturday, and second-hand clothes market every Sunday.
Nightlife and dining in Kazimierz
The quarter hosts some of the best restaurants, cafes and bars in Krakow. After a long day of exploring the city you will definitely enjoy very much the local food and some of the best cocktails. Some of our favourites sites in Kazimierz are Alchemia and Singer, one of the most traditional local restaurants.
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