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Kazimierz

It's hard to imagine that the Krakow district of Kazimierz that lies within walking distance from the Cracow Old Town and the Wawel Castle, was a separate town until a couple centuries ago – it has so well blended into both the historical and the modern atmosphere of Krakow, that a visit in the royal city seems incomplete without seeing the former Jewish district. In the last few years, Kazimierz has become the center of Krakow nightlife, full of clubs and restaurants – certainly the 'trendiest' part of Cracow

How King Kazimierz founded Kazimierz

The town of Kazimierz was founded in 1335 by king Casimir the Great (Kazimierz Wielki), supposedly because he wanted to build a place to live in for his lover, Esterka – the amorous Polish king's constant romances later lead to Esterka's suicide, and, allegedly, the repentant Casimir built one of the Krakow Mounds as her burial place. More important than the royal love stories was the decision of king Jan Olbracht, who decided to move all of the Krakow Jews to Kazimierz. From then on the Jewish and Christian cultures coexisted in a fairly peaceful and atmosphere. This coexistence made Kazimierz a unique cultural melting pot, and traces of it can still be observed.

The Devastation of Kazimierz

Though the Synagogues and other signs of the Jewish presence are still visible, the forty-five thousand Jewish community of Kazimierz is no more. The Nazis murdered a big part of them during the World War II, and most of the few survivors emigrated to Israel. After the war, few cared about Kazimierz, and it was slowly falling into social and architectural ruin.

Kazimierz Reborn

Things began changing around the year 2000 – and they changed fast. What was one of the poorest Krakow districts started blooming with cafes, restaurants and clubs, the Synagogues were restored and Jewish presence was again marked, for example by the Jewish Festival in Krakow. Kazimierz's vicinity to the Old Town made it the perfect place for spending a night, and numerous hotels and hostels were established to host the increasing number of tourists.

Although its famous nightlife is perhaps a good reason to visit Kazimierz, the art and architecture of the Jewish Synagogues and Christian cultures shouldn't be omitted. All of the open and renovated Synagogues are certainly worth seeing (notably the Old Synagogue) and some of the nearby churches are among the most beautiful and important in Krakow, like the Skalka Sanctuary. Other highlights include the 15^th century Town Hall, now housing the Etnographical Museum.

Shopping in Kazimierz

And if you want shopping, there's the Galeria Kazimierz, one of Krakow's biggest shopping malls, with over thirty-six thousand square meters of retail and entertainment area and a multiplex cinema playing all of the latest blockbusters.