Kraków/South

Southern part of Kraków consists of six districts. Most interesting are Podgórze and Dębniki, located on the Vistula river bank opposite the Old Town. Districts further south (Łagiewniki, Kurdwanów, Bieżanów) are mainly residential.

Understand

Podgórze was granted city status in 1784 and until 1915 was an independent city. In 1915 it become a district Krakow and at that time it was one fifth of the whole Krakow city size.

In 1941 Kraków Ghetto was formally established in Podgórze by Nazi occupation authorities. In 1943 the Ghetto was 'liquidated' and inhabitants were moved to concentration camps. The monument located on the Ghetto Heroes Square (Plac Bohaterów Getta) is inspired by that moment, when deported Jews were forced to leave their belongings (furniture among others) on the square before mounting trains headed to the camps. See Steven Spielberg's award winning film Schindler's List shot in Krakow in 1993 to catch a glimpse of life conditions in Krakow Ghetto and KL Krakow - Plaszow and understand the story behind Oscar Schindler's enamel factory. There are still some props left from shooting the film in Liban work camp, but it's important to know those are not the real thing.

Podgórze to this day remains one of most 'industrialized' districts in Krakow, but lately a kind of gentrification process takes place with new cultural (like Museum Of Contemporary Art Krakow) and housing projects appearing in former industrial areas.

Get in

Stroll from Kazimierz through the bike/footbridge called "The Father Bernatek's Footbridge" (originally in Polish "Kładka Bernatka") at the end of ul. Mostowa. This footbridge will deliver you nearby to the Rynek Podgórski (Podgórze Market) surroundings.

See

Podgórze

50.0380519.958451 Krak Mound (Kopiec Krakusa). Manmade hill (with great views of the city) which age and purpose remain unknown. Some believe it has Celtic origins and is over two thousand years old. There is a folk fest every year on the first Tuesday after Easter.

50.0427319.958082 Fort Benedict (Fort Benedykta). Gun turret built between 1853 and 1856. Unique in terms of European fortress architecture. The building is not accessible and the surrounding area is fenced off.

50.03083319.96753 Krakow-Plaszow concentration camp (Obóz Koncentracyjny Kraków-Płaszów). Area of former camp is now grass fields and hills with one large stone monument commemorating the victims. Also the villa of Amon Göth, the commandant of the camp, is still standing. See Holocaust remembrance for context.

50.03638919.9563894 Liban work camp (obóz pracy Liban). Camp for Polish and Ukrainian prisoners who worked in very harsh conditions in a quarry and lime kiln.

Ghetto walls. There are two places where you can still see remains of the wall shaped like a row of matzevas (Jewish tombstones). One at ul. Lwowska is fitted with memorial plaque, the other, less known, is behind the school at ul. Limanowskiego 60 - 62.

50.041519.94865 Bednarski Park (Park Bednarskiego) (behind St. Joseph's Church). Established (by the end of 19th century) around former industrial area (limestone quarry). These days slightly run down but has its own unique atmosphere and is considered the most beautiful park in Krakow.

Museums and Galleries

50.0476519.961656 MOCAK (Museum Of Contemporary Art Krakow), ul. Lipowa 4. Tue-Sun 11:00-19:00, Mon closed. One of the newest museums in Krakow, located in renovated buildings belonging to the former Schindler’s Factory, houses a permanent collection and temporary exhibitions of modern art, sometimes the 'I don't get it' kind. Inside a bookstore with albums on not only Polish art and a cafeteria. 10 zł, reduced 5 zł, Tuesdays free.

50.0473719.961587 Schindler's Factory Emalia, ul. Lipowa 4. Apr-Oct (summer): Mon 10:00-16:00 (except every first Mon of the month when it closes at 14:00), Tue-Sun 09:00-20:00. Nov-Mar (winter): Mon 10:00-14:00, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00. Museum houses a permanent exhibition concerning Krakow under Nazi occupation, it is located in the administrative building of former Schindler's Factory. 19 zł, reduced 16 zł. Nov-Mar (winter): Mondays free. A combined ticket also giving access to MOCAK (see above) is available: 22 zł adults, 19 zł concessions. (updated Jan 2016)

50.0462219.954158 Under the Eagle Pharmacy (Apteka pod Orłem), pl. Bohaterów Getta 18. 9:00 - 17:00. Exhibition focuses on the pharmacist - Tadeusz Pankiewicz, a Righteous among the Nations and life in Jewish Ghetto and Plaszow camp. Museum was renovated as memory lab and expanded in March 2013. 10 zł, reduced 8; Mondays (open 10:00 -14:00) free.

50.0472819.951259 Tadeusz Kantor Museum, ul. Nadwiślańska 4. Museum documenting life and work of one of most important 20th century Polish artists. Rusty structure built on the Vistula bank, opened in 2014.

Gallery Starmach, ul. Węgierska 5. Mo - Fr 11 am - 6 pm. Former Zucker Synagogue built in 1880s. Today a gallery showing well-known Polish artists such as Magdalena Abakanowicz, Tadeusz Kantor or Jerzy Nowosielski.

In Podgórze you can find pieces on modern art on the street: murals by Polish and foreign authors (including BLU on ul. Józefińska) and sculptures: a seesaw dedicated to Polish absurdist writer Witold Gombrowicz (ul. Józefińska as well) or AUSCHWITZWIELICZKA by Mirosław Bałka next to the passage below rail tracks.

Churches

50.0433319.9498510 St. Joseph Church (Kościół św. Józefa). Built in 1905 - 09 in neogothic style and modeled after the St. Mary´s Church.
Most Holy Redeemers Church. Built in 1905 by Jan Sas Zubrzycki in neogothic and neoromanesque style.

Cemeteries

Jewish cemeteries in Podgórze were destroyed during the occupation and today it's hard to find them. There are only symbolic monuments in grass fields in the area of Plaszow camp.

Dębniki

Museums

50.050919.9314411 Manggha Centre of Japanese Art & Technology (Centrum Sztuki i Techniki Japońskiej Manggha), ul. M. Konopnickiej 26. 10 am - 6 pm; Mondays closed. Houses the National Museum's Japanese artifacts, consisting mostly of the fabulous 6,500-item collection of local legend Feliks Jasieński (1861-1929) who adored Japan. It is located across the river from Wawel castle in a very interesting contemporary architecture building by Arata Isozaki. 15 zł, reduced 10; Tuesdays free.

Churches

50.0188719.8021112 The Benedictine Abbey in Tyniec (Opactwo Benedyktynów w Tyńcu), ul. Benedyktyńska 37. St. Peter's and St. Paul's Church and Benedictine Abbey are situated at the bank of Vistula river. In 11th century it was one of the most important scientific places in the first Polish Kingdom, the first chronicles of Poland were written here about 1100. Built as a fortress, in the 15th century the church was rebuilt and later remodelled in the 17th and 18th centuries. It's buildings damaged during the Confederation of Bar in 1764 hostilities. The revival of the Benedictine tradition at Tyniec occurred in the 20th century.

Łagiewniki

Divine Mercy Sanctuary reason for religious pilgrimages to Kraków.

John Paul II Sanctuary is located nearby Divine Mercy Sanctuary. You can find there an original tomb table taken from his grave at Vatican. In the main altar, an ampoule containing the Pope's blood is built in.