Kazimierz

The district of Kazimierz founded by King Casimir & named by him was once Krakow’s rival twin town. It eventually became part of Krakow in the 1800’s. The Jewish population, living in Krakow from the mid 14th century when Bolesław the Pious, Duke of Poland, issued the First Charter of Liberties, later concentrated in the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz that grew to be a major European center of the Jewish Diaspora. Today its ancient narrow streets have become a youthful hot-spot of bohemian cafes, hipster ethnic restaurants, avant-garde galleries, art studios and antique shops.

We could single out some of the most interesting sites  but keep in mind that the star here is the neighborhood itself. The Seweryn Udziela Ethnographic Museum housed in the 15th century town hall of Kazimierz, a great mixture of Renaissance and Gothic architecture filled today with the oldest and largest ethnographic collection in Poland. The Old Synagogue, the oldest surviving Jewish monument in Poland built in the 15th century stands today as a museum of Jewish culture and tradition.

St. Catherine’s Church at Augustiańska 7, one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Krakow founded by King Kazimierz III in 1349. The stunning altar and remarkable murals in the adjoining Augustinian monastery deserve a special mention. The mausoleum of the aristocratic Jordan family is commonly recognised as a masterpiece of Polish Mannerism.

Last but not least the stunning 14th century Church of Corpus Christi with one of the most beautiful Baroque interiors in Europe, or to be more precise a combination of Baroque and Gothic in all their splendor. The density of all the things worth seeing and learning about in Kazimierz make a guided tour a wise choice if you don’t want to miss out.