Podgórze

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Podgórze, once a separate town founded by the Austrians, now a district of Krakow, lies on the right bank of the Vistula River.

Here you will find some of the oldest monuments of Krakow – Krak’s Mound, St. Benedict’s Church. The Podgórze Market Square with St. Joseph’s Church is a wonderful place from where you can set off on Podgórze trails, including to a park founded on a former quarry by Wojciech Bednarski.

However, Podgórze is above all places connected with World War II, the museum’s Memory Route – the former Jewish ghetto, the Eagle Pharmacy and the most frequently visited by tourists – Oskar Schindler’s Emalia Factory and the former concentration camp KL Plaszow.

Podgorze - town

Podgórze – a garden city, founded by the Austrians in 1784, merged with Krakow in 1915.

It is here that the oldest Krakow mound of Krak – the legendary founder of Krakow is located. Both cities are connected by bridges – outstanding engineering works and a pedestrian and bicycle bridge of Father Bernatek – a bridge of love with thousands of pinned padlocks. The building of the old power plant blends into the Corten structure of the Tadeusz Kantor Museum.

Jewish Ghetto

In the years 1941–1943, there was a Jewish Ghetto in Podgorze, to which the Jewish population from all over Krakow was resettled.

The Ghetto Heroes Square with a unique monument – chairs placed in the center, and the “Apteka pod Orłem” (The Eagle Pharmacy) museum, where Tadeusz Pankiewicz worked, are a testimony
to the tragedy of the Jews. Here, in natural scenery, the film “Schindler’s List” was shot, an image of those years captured by Steven Spilberg. The original Ghetto walls are nearby.

KL Plaszow camp

In the territory of the General Government, the German Nazis established three concentration camps. One of them was the Plaszow camp. Established in October 1942 in the area of two former Jewish cemeteries (in the Wola Duchacka district), it was established as a labor camp. Mainly Jewish and Polish prisoners were imprisoned there. Jews from liquidated ghettos were brought here. In January 1944 it was transformed into a concentration camp, and in August 1944 the liquidation of the camp began. On January 14, 1945, the last group of about 600 KL Plaszow prisoners set off on foot towards KL Auschwitz.

From January 2020, there is a Museum – Memorial Site of KL Plaszow in Krakow.

Sacralia

The oldest religious building in the district is the 11th century church of St. Benedict, in the vicinity of which is one of the many Austrian forts.

Against the background of the greenery of Wojciech Bednarski Park, which is the world’s first reclamation of post-industrial areas, there is a soaring silhouette of the neo-Gothic church
of Saint Josef, with a tower reminiscent of the tower of St. Mary’s Church in the Old Town.

In Lagiewniki, we can find newer sacred buildings – the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy and the John Paul II Center “Not afraid.”

Video about Podgórze

We invite you to watch our film about Podgórze – a district of Krakow, which at its beginnings was a separate city.

Our licensed guides will provide you with more competent information.

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