At Miodowa 55 in Kazimierz, Kraków’s New Jewish Cemetery is a quiet place to reflect on the city’s Jewish past. Its roughly 10,000 grave markers range from old stones to newer memorials; some fragments from graves destroyed during the Second World War were incorporated into cemetery walls. The cemetery is much larger than the nearby Remuh Cemetery, so allow time to wander among its paths and monuments. Visit with care and keep your voice low.
A cemetery in Kazimierz
The New Jewish Cemetery is at Miodowa 55, in Kraków’s historic Jewish district of Kazimierz. It is the community’s main burial ground before the Second World War and is described as the only operating Jewish cemetery in Kraków.
The site covers about 4.5 hectares. Its scale becomes clearer as you walk beyond the entrance, with paths passing between older and newer grave markers. The cemetery is larger than the nearby Remuh Cemetery, which contains graves dating from 1552 to 1800.
Gravestones and remembrance
Around 10,000 headstones are found here, including memorials to notable members of Kraków’s Jewish community. The cemetery was severely damaged during the Second World War. Some grave markers were later brought back from the Płaszów concentration camp, where the Germans had used them as road material. Fragments too damaged to restore were incorporated into the cemetery walls or left in stone piles.
These traces of destruction are part of what makes the grounds a place for contemplation. Take time to look closely at the markers and walls, while treating the cemetery as a burial place and keeping your visit quiet.
Häufige Fragen
Where is Kraków’s New Jewish Cemetery?
It is at Miodowa 55 in Kazimierz, Kraków’s historic Jewish district.
What can you see at the cemetery?
The grounds contain around 10,000 grave markers, from different periods, as well as fragments of damaged stones incorporated into the walls.
How should you behave during a visit?
Be respectful and keep your voice low while walking through the cemetery.
