Kraków/Kazimierz

Kazimierz is a part of Old Town district of Krakow in Poland. Before World War II, it was a Jewish district.

Understand
Kazimierz was a city founded in 1335 by Polish King Casimir III on an island on the Vistula river. In the 19th century the river branch between Kazimierz and Old Town was dried and built over. After the end of 15th century Jews became an important part of Kazimierz' population as they fled Krakow because of antisemitism. The division of Kazimierz is still visible, the western part with pl. Wolnica and St. Michael's Church (Skałka) was Christian and the eastern with pl. Nowy and ul. Szeroka was Jewish.

Kazimierz became one of Krakow's districts in 1791. In 1943 all Krakowian Jews were forced by the Nazi occupiers to move to the ghetto located in Podgórze and later transported to death camps. After the war uninhabited houses in Kazimierz were populated by a poor and sometimes criminal element, so Kazimierz gained the reputation of the 'bad neighbourhood' in Krakow.

In the 1990s, however, a popular annual Jewish Culture Festival started, the city renovated old synagogues, and new cafes, clubs and galleries opened. In the early 21st century, the district underwent a typical gentrification process and these days rents are really high and small galleries and eateries have started to give way to luxurious hotels.

Get in
From the Old Town head south with ul. Stradom or Starowiślna. Easily accessible also from Podgórze thanks to Kładka Bernatka, pedestrian and bike bridge.

Synagogues and prayer houses


Before 1939 there were several dozen synagogues in Kazimierz. After the war most of them were destroyed or converted to residential or public use buildings and their previous function is, after remodeling, imperceptible. Some are still functioning as prayer houses or museums:



Churches

 * Bożego Ciała Church (Corpus Cristi Church) — corner of ul. Bożego Ciała and pl. Wolnica. Gothic Church erected by Kazimierz the Great in 1340. The greatest Italian artist of the Renaissance, Bartholomaeo Berrecci, is buried here. The interior is baroque with a marvelous, high baroque altar and maybe the most beautiful baroque stalls in Central Europe.
 * Katarzyny Church (St. Cathrine's Church) corner of ul. Augustiańska and Skałeczna — Gothic Church erected by Kazimierz the Great in 1363 for the Augustinian Order. There is a beautiful baroque altar and the Renaissance grave of bishop Spytek Jordan inside the church.
 * Church of Holy Trinity (Church of Merciful Hospitalers) - ul. Krakowska 48. Constructed in 1741 by the Trinities friars in late baroque style, according to a project of architect Franciszek Placidi. The interior of the church was ornamented with rococo stucco decorations and illusion style polychrome.
 * Church of Holy Trinity (Church of Merciful Hospitalers) - ul. Krakowska 48. Constructed in 1741 by the Trinities friars in late baroque style, according to a project of architect Franciszek Placidi. The interior of the church was ornamented with rococo stucco decorations and illusion style polychrome.

Buy
On ul. Józefa several funny galleries and small shops with hand-made souvenirs are located.

In the mornings head to plac Nowy to buy fresh fruits and vegetables from stalls. On Sunday morning there will be a flea market. Another, bigger Sunday flea market is located next to Hala Targowa on ul. Grzegórzecka.



Eat
Kazimierz has a place on Starowiślna street where the best ice-cream in Krakow are sold. ul. Starowiślna 83 (in summer you'll know the place by the queue standing outside).

Budget
Try typical Polish street fast food, zapiekanka. "Zapiekanki" sold from windows of Okrąglak building in the middle of Nowy square are the most popular in Kraków. In the evenings you will see queues of youngsters who just jumped out of bars for a quick bite. As an alternative you may go to Judah Square , ul. Świętego Wawrzyńca 16 to grab a burger or maczanka, local speciality in a street food form. Yet another place with food trucks is Plac Izaaka, corner of the streets: Izaaka, Jakuba and Ciemna.



Splurge

 * Ariel: though they ought to call it Arielayim because there's two of them, at daggers drawn. The longer established (open daily 10:00-00:00) is the white one at Szeroka 18: decent food, drink and ambience, but you're paying for the setting and live music. Then along came his brother and set up the creamy-yellow one of the same name, right next door at number 16. No reports available on this one.
 * Ariel: though they ought to call it Arielayim because there's two of them, at daggers drawn. The longer established (open daily 10:00-00:00) is the white one at Szeroka 18: decent food, drink and ambience, but you're paying for the setting and live music. Then along came his brother and set up the creamy-yellow one of the same name, right next door at number 16. No reports available on this one.
 * Ariel: though they ought to call it Arielayim because there's two of them, at daggers drawn. The longer established (open daily 10:00-00:00) is the white one at Szeroka 18: decent food, drink and ambience, but you're paying for the setting and live music. Then along came his brother and set up the creamy-yellow one of the same name, right next door at number 16. No reports available on this one.
 * Ariel: though they ought to call it Arielayim because there's two of them, at daggers drawn. The longer established (open daily 10:00-00:00) is the white one at Szeroka 18: decent food, drink and ambience, but you're paying for the setting and live music. Then along came his brother and set up the creamy-yellow one of the same name, right next door at number 16. No reports available on this one.

Drink
Two biggest clusters of drinking establishments are pl. Nowy and ul. Józefa, after opening of the footbridge to Podgórze ul. Mostowa is gaining momentum.

Clubs
This list includes places with designated dancefloors (dancing between tables in bars happens as well though).