Old Synagogue in Kraków

The Old Synagogue (Synagoga Stara, Der Alter Shul) was a former Orthodox Jewish congregation and fortress synagogue, located at 24 Szeroka Street, in the Kazimierz district of Kraków, in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship of Poland. Designed by Mateo Gucci, the Younger, in the Gothic and Mannerist styles, estimates vary as to when the synagogue was completed, ranging from 1407 to 1570. It is the oldest synagogue building still standing in Poland, and one of the most precious landmarks of Jewish architecture in Europe. The synagogue served as a house of prayer until World War II when it was desecrated by Nazis in 1939. It was one of the city's most important synagogues as well as the main religious, social, and organizational centre of the Kraków Jewish community. Since 1958, the building has been repurposed as a branch of the Historical Museum of Kraków.

Synagogue data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).