City tours in Krakow and Kazimierz - tour guide
Kazimierz is a unique place. This city was established in 1335 by Polish King Casimir the Great and named after him. According to tradition, here he had started to build one of the oldest universities in Europe - Studium Generale, later known as Jagiellonian University. Starting from 14th century this city was developing on the influence of two cultures – Christian and Jewish.
From 13th century Krakow is connected with Jewish culture. Here Jews could have normal lives. When the whole world turned away from Jews, only Poland accepted them. But in 1495 they were forced to leave Krakow and to resettle to Kazimierz. Here they were developing their culture and traditions, built synagogues and schools. This was the other world.
Kazimierz - city of two cultures
Kazimierz - city of two cultures. In this place for centuries exist Christian and Jewish cultures. These are two different worlds - different traditions, cultures, religion, languages and meals. Combination of these made this place a unique one. They coexisted together – in good and bad times. Here is situated one of the oldest churches and the oldest synagogue in Krakow. And there are more synagogues than churches.
We will see all main attractions of Kazimierz – both Christian and Jewish.
Duration of the tour: 3 h
Price: 300 PLN/ 75 EUR + entrance tickets*
Memorial Trail
Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory, the Eagle Pharmacy and Pomorska Street are branches of the Historical Museum of Krakow. All of them are connected with the history of World War II in Krakow.
Oskar Schindler’s Factory Museum is known all over the world. In the Factory's former administrative building is presented exhibition - Kraków under Nazi Occupation 1939–1945. It is about lives of Poles and Jews during WWII, their hopes and fears, personal dramas and terror that ruled in Krakow.
Eagle Pharmacy Museum is located on the territory of former Jewish Ghetto in Krakow. Exhibition is based on the memoirs of Tadeusz Pankiewisz - the only Polish pharmacist who was allowed to live in ghetto. From windows he saw what happened there, a tragedy of people. Here was a shelter for Jews where they could speak freely. Pankiewicz and his staff risked their lives to help Jews in ghetto.
Pomorska Street 2 – former headquarter of Gestapo in Krakow. This organization was the most cruel to people and the cells of Gestapo prison, where people were tortured and murdered, are really terrifying. Exhibition - People of Krakow in Times of Terror 1939-1945-1956 tells us story about people’s lives not only during WWII, but also during Stalinist rule in Poland.
Duration of the tour: 1,15 h in each museum
Price: 100 PLN/ 25 EUR + entrance tickets*
Schindler’s List Tour
Probably there is no person in the world who didn’t see Schindler’s List by Steven Spielberg. This film shows us Krakow’s history during World War II and is like an introduction to the whole history. We will see more! I suggest you to see places in Kazimierz where this film was screened, but also we will speak about Jewish life before and after WWII. After visiting Kazimierz we will go to Ghetto Heroes Square – where Jews were resettled and we will visit Oskar Schindler’s Factory – nowadays it is a museum that is located in the former administrative building.
Duration of the tour: 4 h
Price: 400 PLN/ 100 EUR + entrance tickets*
Krakow during the World War II
Krakow is the city not only of joy and pleasure, but also here took place tragically events. In 1939 Nazists invaded Poland. Occupation lasted more than 5 years. This years left bloody sign on history. Terror and death ruled in Krakow. Repressions were used to everyone, paying no attention on age and religion. Life in Krakow had changed…. Before WW II here lived 68 000 Jews – 25% citizens in Krakow. During the war Jews were expelled to ghetto in Podgórze and not many of them returned to Kazimierz. Only several thousand survived.
During this tour we will visit Kazimierz – Jewish district, one of the most important places for Jews. Here they lived during centuries…until they were resettled to ghetto in 1941. We will go to Ghetto Heroes Square with The Eagle Pharmacy Museum. The Eagle Pharmacy was owned by Tadeusz Pankiewicz – the only Polish pharmacist in ghetto. There we will speak about lives and tragedy of people that were resettled here. After this we will go to 4 Lipowa Street. During WWII here was Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory, where Jews were employed. This saved lives of over a thousand people. Nowadays here is a museum with exhibition - Krakow under Nazi Occupation 1939–1945.
Duration of the tour: 4 h
Price: 400 PLN/ 100 EUR + entrance tickets*
*Additional tickets:
Synagogue Remuh – 10/5 PLN
Oscar Shindler’s Factory – 21/16 PLN
Eagle Pharmacy – 10/8 PLN
Pomorska Street – 7/5 PLN