KRAZY FOR KRAKOW
History, music and ood lure this Polish star out o the shadows
IF a Hollywood producer ordered up one splendid, medieval city as the set for some period picture, the old quarter of Krakow would make an excellent real-life example.
There are several betterknown European destinations nearby — Prague, or Budapest — whose architectural magnificence also escaped the worst ravages of World War II. But Krakow, Poland’s second-largest city, is probably the most unsung.
Take Market Square, the nucleus of the old quarter. It’s the largest town square anywhere in Europe, once serving as the center of medieval life after it was rebuilt in 1257, and now filled with pedestrians, outdoor cafes and various public fetes. The scenic space is surrounded by marvels like the two-towered Church of St. Mary, a Gothic beauty that could compete with nearly any parish in Italy or Spain; Cloth Hall, the covered market dating back to the 16th century that houses souvenir vendors, is at its center.
Music is everywhere: it is strummed by itinerant busk- ers on cobblestone streets; it is played in the churches at night by the Cracow Chamber Orchestra of St. Maurice; it comes in klezmer form at one of the restaurants in the Jewish part of town. The food is heavy, plentiful and delicious. In short, Krakow’s a jewel to behold.
MUST SEE
Market Square is the main attraction, but the rest of Krakow is none too shabby. The Droga Krolewska, a.k.a. the Royal Road, which surrounds the medieval part of the city, hugs up against Wawel Hill, the site of the 900-year old Wawel Cathedral, as well as Wawel Castle, which was built by King Casimir III in the 14th century, making for a history-filled compound.
The Jewish area of Krakow, Kazimierz, is much more poignant; it’s definitely a sadder, more humble sight than the cathedrals and large houses of the old quarter. Iron railings line the square at the center of Kazimierz in the shape of back-to-back menorahs with a Star of David at the center. Hebrew lettering can be found carved over the doorposts of the various scraggly, decaying buildings. This part of town may be less grand than the Market Square or the Wawel, but its story is far more fascinating. The Old Synagogue ( mhk.
pl), built at the beginning of the 15th century, is as haunting as any of the city’s other religious shrines — if not quite as ornate. Unlike the vast majority of the churches of Krakow, which command an enthusiastic following every Sunday, the holy sites of Kazimierz are more tributary. They’re like mini-museums — preserved vestiges of the civilization that once thrived here, but was killed off during World War II. The Old Synagogue is no different. Under glass lie artifacts of the long-lost society: female bonnets; shawls; coronets; the local shechet
(butcher’s) knife.
A block or so away is the old Jewish cemetery, with graves dating back to the 16th century, and around another corner is the Galicia Jewish Museum ( en.galicia
jewishmuseum.org), which contains a permanent photo exhibit of lost Jewish Poland as well as other temporary installations. (When I was there, a mural of life in Poland before and during the Holocaust sewn by a local survivor was on view; it alone was worth the price of admission — about $4.)
And while there are no longer many Jews living in Kazimierz, you wouldn’t know it from the jubilant music played in the streets, outside restaurants like Ptaszyl ( ptaszyl.pl) and nightly at Klezmer Hois ( klezmer.pl).
WHAT TO EAT
The best place I visited was called C.K. Dezerter. The usual suspects like herring, sausages and pierogis are delicious here. But my favorite would have to be flanken drowned in creamy white sauce, which comes with one of Poland’s ubiquitous sides: boiled potatoes. (Nothing on the menu surpassed $5.30.) Krakow’s restos aren’t all throwbacks. Ambasada Sledzia attracts a younger, hipper crowd and offers tapas.
WHERE TO STAY
There are hotels in the old quarter that’ll put you in the spirit of the Krakow of yore, like the Grand Hotel (from $167; grand.pl). Or the Radisson Blu Krakow offers a clean place to hang your hat (from $120;
radissonblu.com).