Lublin

Lublin is the surprise of southeast Poland. The region's largest city, with a thriving cultural and academic scene, has a small but evocative Old Town and the surrounding historic precincts have a new sheen, giving new lustre to the Old Town's impressive stock of Renaissance and baroque townhouses.

That said, Lublin was ravaged during WWII and the forced industrialisation of the communist period added insult to injury. The city is also an important part of Poland’s Jewish past. For centuries it was a leading centre of Jewish scholarship, giving rise to its nickname the ‘Jewish Oxford’. That heritage came to a brutal end in WWII, especially at Majdanek, the concentration camp within Lublin's borders. Still, finding traces of the city's Jewish past can be a meaningful and moving part of a visit.

Explore Lublin

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Majdanek
Majdanek concentration camp, where tens of thousands of people, mainly Jews, were murdered by the Germans during WWII, lies on the outskirts of Lublin –…
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Old Jewish Cemetery
The old Jewish cemetery, established in 1541, has 30-odd readable tombstones, including the oldest Jewish tombstone in Poland in its original location…
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Grodzka Gate
This gate leads from the castle area into the Old Town and was traditionally referred to as the 'Jewish' gate, since until WWII it also separated the main…
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Lublin Castle
Lublin’s royal castle dates to the 12th century, though it's been rebuilt many times since; the oldest surviving part is the impressive Romanesque round…
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Dominican Priory
Originally a Gothic complex founded by King Kazimierz III Wielki in 1342, the Dominican Priory was rebuilt in Renaissance style after it was ravaged by…
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New Jewish Cemetery
The new Jewish Cemetery, founded in 1829, is the resting place of 52,000 Jews who were buried here until 1942. The cemetery was mostly destroyed by the…
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Former Jewish Orphanage
A Jewish orphanage was established in this building in the 1860s. On 24 March 1942, the Nazis rounded up over 100 children here, most still in their…
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Cathedral of St John the Baptist
This former Jesuit church dates from the 16th century and is the largest in Lublin; you can visit any time services are not taking place. The impressive…
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Lublin Village Museum
This well-designed open-air museum, 5km west of the centre on the Warsaw road, covers an undulating terrain of 25 hectares. Appearing as a traditional…

M
Majdanek
Majdanek concentration camp, where tens of thousands of people, mainly Jews, were murdered by the Germans during WWII, lies on the outskirts of Lublin –…
O
Old Jewish Cemetery
The old Jewish cemetery, established in 1541, has 30-odd readable tombstones, including the oldest Jewish tombstone in Poland in its original location…
G
Grodzka Gate
This gate leads from the castle area into the Old Town and was traditionally referred to as the 'Jewish' gate, since until WWII it also separated the main…
L
Lublin Castle
Lublin’s royal castle dates to the 12th century, though it's been rebuilt many times since; the oldest surviving part is the impressive Romanesque round…
D
Dominican Priory
Originally a Gothic complex founded by King Kazimierz III Wielki in 1342, the Dominican Priory was rebuilt in Renaissance style after it was ravaged by…
N
New Jewish Cemetery
The new Jewish Cemetery, founded in 1829, is the resting place of 52,000 Jews who were buried here until 1942. The cemetery was mostly destroyed by the…
F
Former Jewish Orphanage
A Jewish orphanage was established in this building in the 1860s. On 24 March 1942, the Nazis rounded up over 100 children here, most still in their…
C
Cathedral of St John the Baptist
This former Jesuit church dates from the 16th century and is the largest in Lublin; you can visit any time services are not taking place. The impressive…
L
Lublin Village Museum
This well-designed open-air museum, 5km west of the centre on the Warsaw road, covers an undulating terrain of 25 hectares. Appearing as a traditional…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Lublin.

See
Majdanek
Majdanek concentration camp, where tens of thousands of people, mainly Jews, were murdered by the Germans during WWII, lies on the outskirts of Lublin –…
See
Old Jewish Cemetery
The old Jewish cemetery, established in 1541, has 30-odd readable tombstones, including the oldest Jewish tombstone in Poland in its original location…
See
Grodzka Gate
This gate leads from the castle area into the Old Town and was traditionally referred to as the 'Jewish' gate, since until WWII it also separated the main…
See
Lublin Castle
Lublin’s royal castle dates to the 12th century, though it's been rebuilt many times since; the oldest surviving part is the impressive Romanesque round…
See
Dominican Priory
Originally a Gothic complex founded by King Kazimierz III Wielki in 1342, the Dominican Priory was rebuilt in Renaissance style after it was ravaged by…
See
New Jewish Cemetery
The new Jewish Cemetery, founded in 1829, is the resting place of 52,000 Jews who were buried here until 1942. The cemetery was mostly destroyed by the…
See
Former Jewish Orphanage
A Jewish orphanage was established in this building in the 1860s. On 24 March 1942, the Nazis rounded up over 100 children here, most still in their…
See
Cathedral of St John the Baptist
This former Jesuit church dates from the 16th century and is the largest in Lublin; you can visit any time services are not taking place. The impressive…
See
Lublin Village Museum
This well-designed open-air museum, 5km west of the centre on the Warsaw road, covers an undulating terrain of 25 hectares. Appearing as a traditional…

Guidebooks

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