Podgórze Museum


More interesting than it looks at first glance, this museum tells the story of the district of Podgórze, which for centuries operated as an independent town. The museum covers the history of the nearby Krakus Mound and runs through the time of the Austrian occupation all the way to the tragedy of WWII, when the area played host to many of the worst Nazi German atrocities.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Old Podgórze Cemetery

0.09 MILES

This largely forgotten burial ground dates from the late 18th century and was once Podgórze's most prestigious cemetery. The Germans destroyed much of it…

2. Church of St Benedict

0.11 MILES

Tucked into a wooded hillside above Podgórze, this mysterious little church is one of the oldest in Kraków. Historians are not certain of its origin,…

3. St Benedict's Fort

0.13 MILES

This fortress was built by the Austrians in the 1850s to defend the city's strategic bridge over the Vistula. The interior is closed to visitors, but you…

4. Ghetto Wall

0.28 MILES

Just south of Plac Bohaterów Getta are the remains of the wartime Jewish ghetto wall from WWII, with a plaque marking the site.

5. Krakus Mound

0.33 MILES

Nobody knows the exact origins of the 16m-high mound that towers over Podgórze. According to legend, it was the burial site of the city's founder, Krakus…

6. Schindler's Factory

0.34 MILES

Despite the name, this museum covers more than the story of Oskar Schindler, the Nazi German industrialist who famously saved the lives of members of his…

7. Museum of Contemporary Art in Kraków

0.36 MILES

MOCAK is one of the city's most important venues for displaying contemporary art. The main draws here are high-quality rotating exhibitions, rather than…

8. Pharmacy Under the Eagle

0.39 MILES

This former pharmacy, on the south side of Plac Bohaterów Getta, tells the story of owner Tadeusz Pankiewicz, who risked life and limb trying to help the…