Remuh Synagogue

The Remuh synagogue, the only active synagogue in Cracow

At 40 Szeroka Street, the Remuh synagogue is one of the most moving in Kazimierz. The smallest in the quarter, it is also the only one still active in Cracow. Its name is the acronym of Rabbi Moses Isserles, a great sage of Judaism. The Cracow audio-guided tour stops here to evoke the spiritual vitality that still animates this place steeped in history.

A Renaissance synagogue of the sixteenth century

Built in the Renaissance style in the mid-sixteenth century, the Remuh synagogue adjoins the cemetery of the same name, older by a few years. It is linked to the figure of Moses Isserles, a rabbi and scholar whose tomb, in the neighbouring cemetery, remains a place of pilgrimage for the faithful from around the world. Small but deeply alive, it embodies the continuity of religious practice in Cracow.

What to see

Here you discover an intimate prayer hall, marked by plainness and fervour, as well as the adjoining cemetery, one of the oldest in Cracow, where Renaissance tombstones stand. The tomb of Rabbi Isserles attracts many visitors. It is a place where memory and spirituality meet, to be explored with respect, in the heart of the Kazimierz quarter.

Practical information

The Remuh synagogue lies at 40 Szeroka Street, in the Kazimierz district of Cracow, reachable on foot. A working place of worship, it can be visited with respect for the rules specific to Judaism, and men may be asked to cover their heads. Opening hours and access conditions, which may include closures on the Sabbath and holidays, are to be checked before visiting.

What does the name Remuh mean?

Remuh is the acronym formed from the initials of Rabbi Moses Isserles, a sixteenth-century scholar whose tomb is in the cemetery adjoining the synagogue.

Is the Remuh synagogue still active?

Yes, it is the only synagogue in Cracow still active; it still holds services, with respect for the rules of Jewish worship.