Plac Nowy is a focal point of the Old Jewish Quarter, Kazimierz, that it was incorporated into during the late 17th century. For over 200 years it has served, with shambolic charm, as a market place.
In the middle there is a rotunda, added in 1900, around which are a dozen or so hole-in-the-wall fast food hatches, and some bars. The rotunda was leased to the Jewish community in 1927 serving as a ritual slaughterhouse for poultry right up until Nazi occupation. Following the war it resumed its role as the centre of the market around it, a function it still carries today. Surrounding the rotunda are some 310 trading stalls where you’ll find something going on daily from dawn to dusk. The square is lined with atmospheric bars and clubs and it is a vibrant nightlife venue.