Jewish cemetery in Tarnów, Jewish cemetery in Tarnów, Poland.
The Jewish cemetery of Tarnów is a 3.2 hectare burial ground with over 6000 gravestones, including traditional headstones and ornate monuments with Hebrew inscriptions. Many stones display religious symbols and document centuries of Jewish life in the city.
The cemetery was founded in 1583 and is one of Poland's oldest Jewish burial grounds. During World War II it suffered severe destruction when Nazi forces looted gravestones and turned the grounds into an execution site.
The cemetery holds graves of prominent rabbis and scholars from the community, with inscriptions and symbols that show Jewish burial traditions. The headstones reflect religious practices that were maintained across generations.
The cemetery is not always freely accessible; visitors need to obtain a key from the Tourist Information Centre at Rynek 7. It is best to contact ahead and allow time for a respectful visit, as this is a quiet and solemn place.
The original wrought iron gates from the 1840s were brought to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C., where they remain on display. These gates stand as evidence of destruction and the later preservation of this history.
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