Stare Podgórze District

You’ve now crossed the Vistula and arrived in the Stare Podgórze district. The atmosphere here is more traditional and less touristy than in Kazimierz. This is where the Kraków Jewish Ghetto was established in 1941. The ghetto covered an area of just 600 by 400 metres, enclosed by a wall that—tragically and ironically—was shaped to resemble Jewish tombstones. A few fragments of this wall still stand today. Just a short walk from the ghetto lies Schindler’s Factory, now a museum dedicated to the Second World War. It’s one of the most important places to learn about the period. It’s located on Lipowa Street, across the railway tracks. The factory was run by Oskar Schindler, who risked everything to save more than 1,000 Jewish lives. His extraordinary story was brought to international attention by Steven Spielberg’s film Schindler’s List.