Entering Poland and Strolling around Krakow - Old Town and Jewish Quarter Monk Takahiro Ueda's Circumnavigation of the World - Poland Part 1
April 12.
I am currently in a city called Krakow, Poland.
Krakow is a city in southern Poland, and its old town, centered on St. Mary's Church, is known as a compact and very tourist-friendly city.
Krakow flourished as the capital of the Kingdom of Poland from the middle of the 11th century until the end of the 16th century, and was a cultural center along with Prague and Vienna.
And while Warsaw, the capital of Poland, is compared to Tokyo, this Krakow is compared to Kyoto.
While Warsaw was destroyed by the Nazis in World War II, Krakow miraculously escaped destruction.
This is why the old townscape from the Middle Ages still remains today.
As soon as you leave the hotel, you are immediately surrounded by colorful European-style buildings.
Unfortunately, a light rain is sprinkling.
And it was extremely cold - less than 5 degrees Celsius.
The wind that blows makes my body freeze.
The difference between the intense sunlight and Israel, where it was nearly 25 degrees Celsius, was heartbreaking.
However, the dreary streets of Krakow, Eastern Europe, are also quite charming in their own way.
When I see squares like this, it makes me feel that I am in Europe.
The entrance to the old town overlooks its streets.
The old European townscape remains here.
As I walk, I think.
This city... I like it..."
I don't know for sure, but this city, how exquisite.
First of all, the medieval town is beautiful.
And it integrates well with modern life. In short, it is convenient and comfortable.
It is also clean. Very little trash.
In addition, the atmosphere of the city is quiet and calm.
It was the kind of town where a short stroll would naturally bring a smile to one's face.
We came to the old town square.
To my surprise, there was a procession of carriages there.
All are magnificent horses and imposing.
The sound of hoofs striding across the cobblestones echoes through the square.
This is the center of the old town, St. Mary's Church.
This church will be discussed in the next article.
Now, after leaving the Old City, we now head for the Jewish quarter called the Kazimierz district.
Many Jews lived in Krakow until before the war.
However, that life came to an end with the Holocaust in Nazi Germany.
It is also the city where the movie "Schindler's List" was set.
And after the war, the city, which had been a Jewish neighborhood, had no one to live in it and had fallen into disrepair.
Today, however, the area has been reborn as a spot for young people to gather, with fashionable cafes and stores lining the streets.
Walking around, one notices that there are indeed many cafes and stores.
And to the existence of synagogues.
A synagogue is a place of Jewish prayer.
You can see the Star of David, the symbol of Judaism, on the building on the right.
The city's oldest synagogue, the Stara Synagogue, is now used as a museum and exhibited the life of Jews in those days.
Whether it is "Schindler's List" or the images we saw at the Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem, most of the footage from this period was shot in black and white.
Schindler's List is a postwar film, but many scenes were shot in black and white.
I remember that the scene looked very grave.
Images from the prewar and immediate postwar period are in black and white.
However, by the time I was born and can remember, TV was already in color.
When the images are in black and white, it suddenly feels like a different era and a different world.
In other words, the images are categorized as "history" apart from our current lives.
So I don't really feel it. It doesn't feel like the same world that I am connected to now.
However, as I walk through the city, I am struck by the variety of colors.
The world of "Schindler's List" appears before my eyes with color.
The presence of color calls to my thoughts.
There were people who lived and worked here just like me.
And that there were many people who were involved in the tragedy and lost their lives.
It was as if the medieval townscape, which had witnessed the history of the city, was speaking to me.
be unbroken
Next Article.
Click here to read the previous article.
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