Old Synagogue

The Old Synagogue at the southern end of Szeroka Street is the oldest synagogue building still standing in Poland and the most important historic monument of Jewish Kazimierz. Its origins are dated variously to the 15th century, and it was rebuilt in 1570 by the Italian architect Mateo Gucci the Younger. The result is a fortress-like brick building in Gothic and Mannerist style, with thick walls, high windows, heavy buttresses and loopholes, features that make it a rare surviving example of a fortress synagogue in Poland. Further restoration followed in the early 20th century.

The Second World War brought devastation. German forces desecrated the synagogue in 1939, looted its furnishings and used the building as a warehouse, and in 1943 thirty Polish hostages were executed by its wall. After the war the building was renovated between 1956 and 1959 and has been a branch of the Museum of Kraków since 1958.

Inside, the permanent exhibition on the history and culture of the Jews of Kraków uses objects from synagogue and home to explain religious practice and the stages of life, from birth and prayer to diet, marriage and death. The 17th-century women's prayer room often hosts temporary exhibitions. Audio guides can be hired, including a family version, and guided tours of the permanent exhibition can be booked for groups. Allow about an hour.

The synagogue opens from 9:00 to 17:00 from Tuesday to Sunday and from 10:00 to 15:00 on Mondays, with last entry thirty minutes before closing. Monday is a free-admission day. Standard, reduced and family tickets are sold at the box office on the day, and the museum also accepts advance reservations. The displays make a good introduction for anyone planning to explore the rest of Kazimierz, and the life-cycle themes are easy for older children to follow. The museum closes on a number of public holidays and on Yom Kippur, and publishes these dates on its website, so check before planning a visit around a particular day.

Szeroka Street is the old heart of Jewish Kazimierz, a broad, cobbled space lined with restaurants and cafés. The Remuh Synagogue stands further up the same street, and Plac Nowy is a few minutes away. Walking the surrounding streets of Kazimierz before or after your visit helps to place the synagogue in the life of the district.