Kraków's streets are a vast and lovely living museum, and the Stare Miasto (Old Town) in particular is a historical gold mine. Its ancient houses, churches, and palaces can overwhelm visitors with sights. The heart of it all is Kraków's Rynek Glówny, or Main Market Square.
To the immediate southeast of the Old Town is the old Jewish quarter of Kazimierz. This was once a separate town, chartered in 1335 by its founder, Kazimierz the Great. In 1495 Kraków's Jews were expelled from the city by King John Albert, and they resettled in Kazimierz. The Jewish community of Kazimierz came to an abrupt and tragic end during World War II.