KrakowInformer.com

Old Synagogue

The name of the Old Synagogue (Stara Synagoga) speaks for itself - it's the oldest Jewish house of prayer in Poland, and the mother of all of the Kazimierz Synagogues. Although maybe not as charming as some of the others, the Old Synagogue in Krakow has a fascinating (yet sometimes grim) history, reflecting the linked lot of the Polish and the Jewish nations.

The History of the Old Synagogue in Kazimierz

No one knows exactly when the Synagogue was built. Legends claim that it was during the reign of Casimir the Great at the end of the 14^th century, and that the king himself donated two silver swords to be turned into candlesticks. Those swords were supposedly hung in the hall as a symbol of respect for the king. It seems, though, that the Old Synagogue was constructed in the 15^th century. It was a Gothic, two-nave building, imitating the style of Jewish prayer houses in Prague, Worms or Regensburg. In the 16^th century it was severely damaged in a fire, and rebuilt around 1570 by Mateo Gucci, still in a Gothic style, but with an element of the Renaissance. Apart from several extensions, the general look of the Synagogue did not change until the beginning of the 20^th century, when a three-stage, general renovation was conducted, and it was enriched with Neo-Renaissance details.

The Devastation and Renovation of the Old Synagogue

During the Nazi occupation of Krakow, after creating the ghetto in 1941, the Germans turned the Old Synagogue into a warehouse. Priceless religious artifacts were taken to the Wawel Castle to be used by Hans Frank. The building was completely ruined: the interiors were devastated and the ceiling was deliberately destroyed.

The Old Synagogue was renovated in the 1950s and regained its Gothic-Renaissance look introduced by Mateo Gucci. It was also adapted to become a museum, and has been a part of the Historical Museum of Krakow since 1959, presenting the history and culture of the Jewish nation.

The Old Synagogue Museum

Among the exhibits in the Old Synagogue Museum are mainly various ritual artifacts linked with the Jewish religion, used both in synagogues and in everyday life, accompanying the Jews from the moment of their birth until death. These include birth, marriage and death certificates, knives used for circumcision, children's amulets and articles used at funerals. Another group of exhibits in the Old Synagogue are paintings, engravings and photographs depicting the everyday life and the martyring of Jews in the Kazimierz district.

Apart from the permanently displayed collection, the museum in the Old Synagogue often presents contemporary as well as old Jewish art and exhibitions concerning the life and culture of Polish Jews before 1939.

Shalom on Szeroka Street

Szeroka Street, where the Old Synagogue is located, is also the venue for many events during the Jewish Festival in Krakow, organized in June or July since 1988, to promote Jewish culture in Krakow and Poland. Its climax, the Shalom on Szeroka Street concert takes place in front of the Old Synagogue, bringing together people of many nations and beliefs.