Did you know that Kazimierz, Kraków’s famous old Jewish quarter, used to be an island? For centuries it was a separate town, with the Vistula on one side and an old arm of the river on the other. Today you can walk across the line of that river without even noticing it.
A separate town next to Kraków
Kazimierz was founded in 1335 by King Casimir the Great (Kazimierz Wielki), and it takes its name from him. It had its own town rights, its own market square and its own town hall, and for a long time it lived its own life next to Kraków.
From the end of the 15th century Kazimierz was also home to a large Jewish community. The Jewish town grew in the north-eastern part of Kazimierz, around today’s Szeroka Street, and for centuries it was one of the most important centres of Jewish life in Poland.
Kazimierz became part of Kraków only in 1800, during the Austrian rule.
Where did the river go?
On an 1847 map of Kraków you can still see it clearly: the Vistula on one side of Kazimierz and an old river channel, called the Old Vistula (Stara Wisła), on the other. The channel separated Kazimierz from Kraków.
In 1878-1880 the old channel was filled in. In its place a wide street was built, with a green strip in the middle. Today it is Dietla Street (ulica Dietla), named after Józef Dietl, a doctor and former mayor of Kraków. When you walk from the Old Town to Kazimierz and cross Dietla Street, you are walking across the bed of the old river.
What to see in Kazimierz today
- Szeroka Street: the wide heart of the old Jewish town, with the Old Synagogue at one end.
- The Remuh Synagogue and its old cemetery: one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in Poland.
- Corpus Christi Basilica and St Catherine’s Church: two large Gothic churches of the Christian part of Kazimierz.
- Skałka: the Pauline church on the Rock, by the Vistula, linked with St Stanislaus.
- Plac Nowy: a lively square with a round market hall, famous for zapiekanki, long toasted open sandwiches.
My tip: come in the morning to see the synagogues and churches in peace, and come back in the evening, when the cafés and small restaurants fill up.
Practical info
- Where: Kazimierz, Kraków, south-east of the Old Town and Wawel, about 15 to 20 minutes on foot from the Main Square.
- Getting there: on foot from Wawel along the Vistula, or by tram to stops along Dietla Street and Starowiślna Street.
- Entry: the streets are free. Synagogues, museums and some churches have their own tickets and opening hours.
- Good to know: in synagogues and at the cemetery, men may be asked to cover their heads, and on Saturdays (Shabbat) some places are closed.
- Nearby: Wawel and the Dragon’s Den, just along the river.
Checked November 2026. Opening times and prices change, so please check before your visit.
More guides: Kraków & Małopolska in English.
Łukasz, Niezwykła Małopolska