Jewish Kraków Free Walking Tour

Jewish community in Poland was the largest in entire Europe. Jewish population in Poland before II World War was about 3,5 mln people. (About 33% o European Jewish population) In Kraków it was about 68.000 people, which was quarter of the city population.

According to one legend even name of this country is coming from Hebrew:

"When the people of Izrael came to here they said: po-lin, which mean stay here! So they wanted to stay here before God will let us gather diaspora of the people of Izrael. It was what our grandfathers used to say"


Polish coin from XII century with Hebrew writing.

Furthermore some Jewish historians say the Hebrew word for 'Poland' is pronounced as Polania or Polin in Hebrew. As transliterated into Hebrew, these names for Poland were interpreted as "good omens" because Polania can be broken down into three Hebrew words: po ("here"), lan ("dwells"), ya ("God"), and Polin into two words of: po ("here") lin ("[you should] dwell"). The "message" was that Poland was meant to be a good place for the Jews.

There are two most important dates regarding to the history of Jewish people in Kraków. First of all at the end of XV century Polish king Jan Olbracht expelled Jewish people from Kraków and 90 % of them settled in neighboring medieval age city Kazimierz. It is also said that Jewish people where so unusually tolerated in Poland (to compare with other Christian countries in Europe), because of legendary famous Jewish mistress of Polish king Kazimierz the great.


Legendary lover of Kazimierz the great Ester

Secondly in 1941 German Nazi established Jewish ghetto on other site of the Wisła river in Podgórze, where at most about 18.000 Jews where settled most of them died in Holocaust.

Even though officially Jewish population in Kraków is very small Jewish culture is very active here, especially during world famous Jewish Culture Festival. Which some of members of our tour love to attend to.


Member of our team dancing on Jewish Culture Festival. Source: gazeta.pl

Tour starts everyday from 1 Mar till 30 Nov (during winter only for booking) in front of Saint Mary's church at 3:00 pm.

Plan of this tour:
1. Old synagogue - city museum
2. Remuh synagogue - the only active one
3. Izaak Synagogue - the largest in Kraków
4. Schindler's list site
5. Jewish ghetto heroes square
6. Jewish ghetto wall
7. Schindler,s factory

Tour take about 3 h

Tour starts everyday from 1 Mar till 30 Nov (during winter only by resevation) in front of Saint Mary's church at 3:00 pm.


All the best!
Free Walking Tour Kraków team