Old Synagogue in Krakow: tickets, hours and what to see

The Old Synagogue stands at ul. Szeroka 24 in Kazimierz. According to the Museum of Krakow, it is the oldest of the synagogues preserved in Poland. Today it is a branch of that museum, which collects objects from the history and culture of the Jews, above all those connected with the Jews of Krakow.

What is the Old Synagogue in Krakow?

Together with the buildings added to it, the synagogue formed the religious and administrative centre of the Jewish community in Kazimierz. The Jewish Religious Community in Krakow writes that until the outbreak of the Second World War it was the central place of Jewish religious life in the city. The permanent exhibition is called The History and Culture of Jews in Kraków.

History of the Old Synagogue

The synagogue was built in the 15th century on the model of Gothic synagogues in Germany and Bohemia. According to the Jewish Religious Community in Krakow, it burned down almost completely in 1557; when it was rebuilt, the walls were raised and crowned with an arcaded attic. In 1570 the Italian builder Mateusz Gucci remodelled it: he gave it a Renaissance form but kept the two-nave plan and recreated the rib vault. In the second half of the 16th century and the first half of the 17th, a vestibule, two prayer rooms for women and the house of the community board were added.

In 1900, because the building was in a very poor state, a Committee for the Rebuilding of the Old Synagogue was set up, and in the early 20th century the synagogue went through a restoration in several stages to designs by Zygmunt Hendel. In 1941, while the Germans were setting up the ghetto in Krakow, the German Trust Office (Treuhandstelle) took over the synagogue and used it as a warehouse; its furnishings were destroyed. At the end of 1944 the vault collapsed, perhaps destroyed deliberately. The synagogue was restored from 1956 to 1959 and handed over for museum use; it has been a museum branch since the end of the 1950s.

What to see in the Old Synagogue

• The main prayer hall: a two-nave hall under a rib vault, with an exhibition about the synagogue and the main holidays of the Jewish religious calendar: Shabbat, the New Year and the Day of Atonement, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Purim and Passover.
• Bimah and aron ha-kodesh: the bimah, the raised platform from which the Torah is read, stands in the main hall. By the east wall is the aron ha-kodesh, the cabinet for the Torah scrolls, which the museum calls the Ark.
• Torah ornaments: embroidered Ark curtains and the decorations of Torah scrolls: embroidered mantles, silver crowns, finials known as pomegranates, shields and pointers.
• Objects for the holidays: Hanukkah lamps, cases for the Book of Esther, and Seder plates in porcelain and silver.
• The former south women's hall: an exhibition about family and private life: dietary rules, daily prayer and the cycle of life from birth to death.

Old Synagogue tickets and opening hours

The Old Synagogue is open on Monday from 10:00 to 15:00 and from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00, with the same hours all year. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. The exhibition is closed on the second Thursday of every month. Until the end of 2026 it is also closed on 1 and 11 November and on 24, 25 and 31 December. In 2026 the branch was closed on Yom Kippur (21 September), so check the museum's notices before you go.

A standard ticket costs 22 PLN, a reduced ticket 16 PLN and a family ticket 44 PLN (up to four people, children up to 16). Monday is the free admission day, but you still need a ticket then: free tickets are available online and, if places are left, at the ticket desk on the day. A combined ticket for the Old Synagogue and the Eagle Pharmacy costs 26 PLN standard, 22 PLN reduced and 52 PLN for a family, and an audioguide costs 15 PLN. Tickets are sold at the branch ticket desk and online. The ticket shows the date and time of the visit, the number of people inside is limited, and those who buy online for a given hour have priority.

Around a dozen steps lead down to the square in front of the Old Synagogue, and there is no lift or ramp; the museum describes the building as one with architectural barriers, and there is no toilet for visitors with disabilities. Bags over 30 litres, food and drink, flash photography and phone calls are not allowed, and animals may not be brought in, except assistance dogs. Once you leave the exhibition you cannot go back in. Details checked in October 2026; confirm them on the Museum of Krakow website.

How to get to the Old Synagogue

The nearest tram stops are Miodowa and św. Wawrzyńca, on Starowiślna Street. The branch has no car park of its own. On foot it is about 20 minutes from the Main Market Square and the same from Wawel, and about two minutes from the Remuh Synagogue and Cemetery. Kazimierz is on the route of our electric cart tour of Kazimierz; the ride does not include a visit inside.

Tips for visiting the Old Synagogue

Allow about an hour. If you want a particular time, buy the ticket online. The combined ticket is worth a look if you also plan to see the Eagle Pharmacy in Podgórze. Other synagogues in Kazimierz include the Isaac Synagogue and Tempel Synagogue.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Old Synagogue the oldest synagogue in Poland?

According to the Museum of Krakow, it is the oldest of the synagogues preserved in Poland.

How much is a ticket to the Old Synagogue?

A standard ticket costs 22 PLN, a reduced ticket 16 PLN and a family ticket 44 PLN (checked in October 2026).

Is there a free day?

Yes, Monday. You still need a ticket: free tickets are available online and, if places are left, at the ticket desk on the day.

What are the opening hours?

Monday from 10:00 to 15:00, Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00. The exhibition is closed on the second Thursday of every month.

Is the Old Synagogue accessible for wheelchair users?

The museum describes it as a building with architectural barriers. Around a dozen steps lead down to the square in front, and there is no lift or ramp.

Photo: Jeremiah Z. Cockroach, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.