Kraków used to be the capital city of Poland and the seat of the Royal Family. Being on the path of the “Amber Route”, it hosted merchants but also scholars, bourgeoisie and European Monarchy. Polish kings would cover the distance from Barbican (the entrance to the Old Town) to Wawel Hill – where in the cathedral they were enthroned to become official rulers of the state. The path they used to proudly take is now called the Royal Route.

The first Jews settled  in Krakow in  the second half of the 13th century. At the end of 15th century they were forced, by the law of king Jan I Olbracht, to move to nearby Kazimierz where there was already a Jewish community. It grew with the influx of Jewish immigrants from Bohemia, Germany, Italy, Spain and other countries. The 15th century was a “golden age” for Jewish Culture in Krakow, giving the community and its scholars international prestige. Though the inhabitants of the Jewish district were predominantly poor, they nevertheless created a vibrant cultural atmosphere. Sadly as a consequence of the Holocaust there are few Jews living in Krakow,Nevertheless Kazimierz retains much of its Jewish heritage in the many Synagogues and institutional buildings that have survived. One can still feel there the ambience of the past.