Isaac Synagogue in Cracow

Medals available inside the Synagogue!

The synagogue was founded by Izaak Jakubowicz, one of the wealthiest Jews in Kraków. The design and construction were entrusted to two Italians – Giovanni Battista Trevano and Giovanni Falconi. The main section consists of a men’s prayer hall and a women’s gallery, which is located on the upper floor and separated by Tuscan-style arched columns.
Today, the Izaak Synagogue is once again active. It is open to tourists and houses a permanent exhibition featuring two very different films about Jewish life: “Jewish Kazimierz” (1936) and “Relocation to the Kraków Ghetto” (1941). There is also a collection of historical photographs showing everyday Jewish life and visits by foreign dignitaries to sites of Jewish culture in Poland.
Concerts and meetings are held here, and you can find informational leaflets and a range of books.

The synagogue is tied to a legend:
Izaak Jakubowicz was once very poor. One night, a mysterious voice in a dream told him to travel to Prague to find a treasure buried under a stone bridge. Upon arriving, he found the bridge guarded by soldiers. He shared his dream with one of them, who laughed and said he had dreamt of someone named Ajzyk from Kazimierz with treasure hidden beneath his stove. Izaak returned home, took apart his stove, and indeed found a treasure – which allowed him to build the synagogue and start a trading post.