Pay your respects to Jewish families killed in World War II or scour the tombstones for famous Krakow residents in the city’s only Jewish cemetery still in use.
There are more than 10,000 tombstones in the New Jewish cemetery. It was established in 1800 and has served as the resting place for notable rabbis, artists and politicians since then. Wander among the headstones and see memorials dedicated to the families that lost their lives during the Holocaust.
The cemetery covers an area of 11 acres (4.5 hectares). Krakow has been home to many famous and notable Jews in the past two centuries, and nearly all of them were buried here. See the headstone engraved with the name of Ozjasz Thon, a rabbi and Member of Parliament. The Romantic painter Maurycy Gottlieb also has a headstone here.
Enter through the main gates to see a large monument dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Holocaust. Throughout the cemetery you will see several tombstones dedicated to entire families who were killed in the Second World War.
Wander the narrow paths among the old, crumbling headstones. You’ll notice a large number of more modern styles, as German forces desecrated much of the original cemetery in World War II. Soldiers used many of the tombstones to pave roads and sold any valuable materials. The cemetery was restored in 1957. Inspect the wall surrounding the cemetery to see pieces of broken tombstones that were recovered and then embedded into the cement.
During the summer months, vines and leaves cover the trees in the cemetery, while in winter the snow gives it a sombre air.
The New Jewish Cemetery is free to enter. It’s closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays. Note that visitors are required to wear some form of head gear, so bring a hat or pick up a paper hat from the entrance. The cemetery is located in the Jewish neighbourhood of Kazimierz, just southeast of Krakow city centre. Get there by train.
