Kazimierz was established by King Casimir (Kazimierz) the Great as a separate town. In the late 15th c., an autonomous Jewish district was established here. Depopulated and dilapidated after the Second World War, the district is currently recovering its original splendour. It is the second largest complex of historic Jewish architecture after Josefov in Prague. Its historic centre is Wolnica Square but its social and cultural life focuses around the Plac Nowy square and Szeroka street.
The Old Synagogue
Situated in Szeroka Street, the former commercial centre of Kazimierz, the synagogue was built in the 15th c. by Czech Jews and is the oldest synagogue in Poland. During the Second World War it was plundered and devastated by the Nazis. After the war, the synagogue was renovated to serve as a Jewish history museum. One may see there a reconstructed bimah, a Baroque collection box, a Torah Ark, various ritual artefacts and everyday utensils. A separate room is devoted to the Holocaust of Kraków Jews.
Remuh Synagogue and Cemeter
Built in the 16th c., it is the smallest of the synagogues in Kazimierz and is still used for religious worship. It may be visited outside service hours. Next to it extends a beautiful Renaissance cemetery with numerous historic tombstones. The matzevahs and sarcophagi are adorned with intriguing ornamental motifs and are being renovated one after another. The most venerated site is the tomb of Rabbi Moses Isserless (Remuh) which draws Jewish pilgrims from all over the world.
Isaac's Synagogue
A large Baroque synagogue was built in the mid-17th c. It was commissioned by Izaak Jakubowicz, a rich merchant and banker. Its arcaded portal and fine stucco-work adorn the building and there also some interesting 17th-century inscriptions on the walls. Destroyed by the Nazis during the Second World War, it has been gradually renovated since the 1980s. Inside, visitors may watch two films about Jewish martyrdom.
Tempel Synagogue
The newest of the synagogues in Kazimierz, this was built in the second half of the 19th c. by the Association of Progressive Israelites. Services were delivered here in Polish and German; changes were introduced to the liturgy, which raised protests among Orthodox Jews. The interior of the synagogue has been renovated by the World Monuments Fund. The women’s gallery and the ceiling are richly adorned with stuccoes and frescoes in an Oriental- Moorish style. The fine 19th-century stained glass windows on the ground floor and the upper floor add to the charms of the synagogue interior.
