Szeroka Street

Szeroka Street, the heart of Cracow's Jewish quarter

Despite its name, the Szeroka is in fact a vast square, the historic heart of the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz in Cracow. From the fifteenth to the nineteenth century, it was the centre of the commercial and religious life of the Jewish town. The Cracow audio-guided tour stops here to bring back to life centuries of Jewish presence, of which it remains the most telling witness.

The cradle of the Jewish town of Kazimierz

Tradition holds that it was here that Casimir the Great is said to have raised the walls of the first university. At the end of the fifteenth century, in 1495, a royal decree led the Jews of Cracow to settle in Kazimierz, then outside the city walls. Szeroka Street became the centre of this flourishing community, lined with several synagogues, a unique case that makes its singularity.

What to see

On the Szeroka are concentrated several of the major places of Kazimierz, including the Remuh synagogue and its cemetery. Today, the square blends memory and daily life: restaurants, cafés and terraces enliven this high place of Cracow's Jewish history. It is the ideal starting point to explore the quarter, between synagogues, lanes and addresses where you can taste the Jewish cuisine of Central Europe.

Practical information

Szeroka Street lies in the heart of the Kazimierz district, south of the old town of Cracow, reachable on foot and by tram. It is a public space open at all times, freely accessible and on the level. Visiting the synagogues and memorial sites that line it follows hours and conditions specific to each; it is best to check them before coming.

Why is Szeroka Street important?

It is the historic heart of the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz, the centre of the commercial and religious life of the Jewish town from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century, lined with several synagogues.

Is Szeroka Street really a street?

Despite its name, the Szeroka is in fact a vast square; its name means wide in Polish, which reflects its unusual dimensions.