Jewish Museum

The Jewish quarter is one of the most highly visited areas of the Czech metropolis. It is believed that Jews settled in the area of Prague around the 10th century. This, the oldest Jewish settlement in Europe, was divided into two Jewish districts during the Middle Ages. Jews from Western Europe lived in one of them, concentrated around the Old New Synagogue (Staronova synagoga). The second of the two had its centre around today's Spanish Synagogue (Spanelska synagoga), and brought Jews from the Balkans and the Near East together. After centuries, during which time the Jews of Prague became victims of many pogroms and persecutions, the whole district transformed into a nearly uninhabitable ghetto. After the city council ruling of 1890, most of the single-storey houses were replaced by new buildings in Art Nouveau and Cubist style. The remainder of the original Jewish town, which has been preserved to this day, is one of the most important Jewish historical landmarks and is part of the Prague Jewish Museum (Zidovske muzeum v Praze).

Old Jewish Cemetery (Stary zidovsky hrbitov)

Beth-chaim, the "House of Life", as the Old Jewish Cemetery (Stary zidovsky hrbitov) was called, was established at the beginning of the 15th century and is one of the best-preserved Jewish burial grounds. Around 12,000 gravestones can be seen there today, but the total number of those buried there is many times greater. Even in spite of the gradual expansion of the cemetery, its capacity often did not suffice. Since the Jewish faith does not allow buried bodies to be moved, it was necessary to bring to the area more soil. This made it possible to bury the bodies in several layers. It is estimated that more than 100,000 people are buried here. One of the most famous of them is Jewish scholar and pedagogue Jehdua Liwa ben Becalel, known as Rabbi Löw (1520-1609). Visitors pay their respects and make wishes at his tomb. Another famous person buried here is Mordecai Maisel (1528-1601), the mayor of the Jewish town, a wealth benefactor who financed the renaissance conversions of the Jewish ghetto.

Old New Synagogue (Staronova synagoga)

One of the oldest preserved synagogues in Europe, it was constructed in the mid-13th century in early Gothic style. The hall, with its atypical five-part vault, is a symbol of Cistercian architecture. Part of the interior is a Jewish banner ornamented with the Star of David, as a reminder of the privilege which was conferred upon the Jewish district by emperor Charles IV. Legend has it that the remnants of the mythic Golem can be found on the grounds of the Old New synagogue (Staronova synagoga). Although the synagogue is not part of the Jewish Museum, it can be visited upon purchasing separate entry tickets.

Pinkas Synagogue (Pinkasova synagoga)

This, the second oldest synagogue in Prague, was founded by Rabbi Pinkas in the year 1479. Today, there is an emotive monument to the victims of the Nazi death camps. The names of the 77,927 who perished in the camps are written on the walls by hand. 

Maisel Synagogue (Maiselova synagoga)

Maisel Synagogue (Maiselova synagoga) is a part of the Jewish Museum and its original role was as the private chapel of Mordecai Maisel. It was rebuilt several times over the centuries. Now, it serves as an exhibition area with an exposition describing the history of the Jewish settlements in Bohemia and Moravia from the earliest times up to the 18th century. A large part of the exhibition is dedicated to the Renaissance period.

Spanish Synagogue (Spanelska synagoga)

Richly decorated with Oriental motifs from the palace of Alhambra, this synagogue was built in Moorish-Spanish style in the second half of the 19th century at the location where the oldest Jewish chapel, known as the Old School (Stara skola), stood. The exposition here ties in with the exhibition at the Maisel Synagogue (Maiselova synagoga) in terms of its time frame and maps Jewish history from the 18th century on through the holocaust during World War II.