Built in early Judaic-Baroque style, this Orthodox synagogue was a gift to the city from Izaak Jakubowicz, a wealthy banker to King Ladislaus IV. Opened in 1644, it was the most lavishly furnished of Kraków's synagogues and is also considered to be the most architecturally important, with a vaulted ceiling and decorative arabesques. In 1924 the double stairway leading to the women's gallery was added, as were the administrative offices and small adjacent building on the left side of the synagogue that today houses the Megiddo Cafe; interestingly, this space was originally an entirely separate synagogue built on the initiative of members of the Zionist-Orthodox 'Mizrachi' organisation. Although all of the original interiors and furnishings were obliterated by the Nazis during World War II, and these buildings were only returned to the Jewish community after the communist period, ongoing renovations have revealed fragments of the original wall scriptures. Presently, Izaak Synagogue is not open for visitors, but the Megiddo Cafe is a great place to drop in for breakfast (served 08:00-14:00) or coffee.
Comments
Kerstin Edgerton
We will be visiting Isaak Synagouge during Yum Kippur. As a woman, do I need to wear a dress and a hat, or will pants and a head shawl work? Many thanks, Kerstin