Kazimierz

Kazimierz – the district south of the Old Town between the Wisła River and ul. Dietla (where a tributary of the Wisła once flowed) was the centre of Jewish life in Kraków for over 500 years, before it was systematically destroyed during World War II. Neglected during the communist era, Kazimierz became one of Kraków’s dodgiest districts before its rediscovery in the 1990s, thanks to the fall of the regime and worldwide exposure through the lens of Steven Spielberg, Kazimierz has since rebounded and is today arguably Kraków’s most exciting district – a bustling, bohemian neighbourhood packed with historical sites, atmospheric cafes and art galleries.

Traces of Kazimierz’s Jewish history have not only survived, but literally abound in the form of the district’s numerous synagogues and Jewish cemeteries. In fact, no other place in Europe conveys a sense of pre-war Jewish culture on the continent better than Kazimierz. As a result, the district has become a major tourist draw and pilgrimage site for Jews, which has led to the return of contemporary Jewish culture in the area. Each summer since 1988 the massively popular Jewish Culture Festival has filled Kazimierz’s streets and cafes with music, while educating Kraków’s residents and guests about the city’s pre-war Jewish history and celebrating modern Jewish culture. The fact that it’s one of the year’s biggest parties proves that there’s more to Kazimierz than sepia photographs and old synagogues. Here - behind the shutters of dozens of antique shops and art galleries, and in the obscure courtyards cafes and shadowy bars centered around the former Jewish square known today as Plac Nowy - you’ll find a prevalent pre-war timelessness, and the heart of Krakow’s artistic, bohemian character. Alternative, edgy and packed with oddities, Kazimierz is an essential point of interest to any visitor.

For more information on the history of Kraków's former Jewish district, and what to see in the area, including a detailed walking tour, read our Kazimierz feature.