The Jewish Quarter, or Josefov as it is called in Czech, is the smallest of Prague’s neighbourhoods and yet perhaps is the one filled with the most intense and powerful history. Although some of these histories are rather dark, these streetst today are filled to bursting with joyful life. The echoes along the cobblestones feel like the voices of the people who once called this place home. Many of the area’s most important buildings were spared from destruction during the war, leaving these stretches a historic wonderland. Today, walking down these streets, you can literally touch history and walk through doorways to discover secrets from the past.
Prague’s Jewish Quarter is between Prague’s Old Town Square and the Vltava River. Our starting point is at the Robert Guttmann Gallery, only a 3-minute walk away from Old Town. Even if you’re coming from the other side of town, in the Castle district, Josefov is only a 20-minute walk. If you need to access the area by tram, the nearest tram stop is Právnická fakulta. But my favourite way to get around Prague is on foot.
Most of the Jewish Quarter has been reestablished with the help of Prague’s Jewish Museum. While most of us might think of a “museum” as a static building, the Prague Jewish Museum is comprised of much more than just one building. The museum contains 40,000 artifacts, over 100,000 documents, and archives of the Czech Jewish population. All of these treasures are spread out over six different historical buildings within the Jewish Quarter. The various exhibitions of these artifacts are located in the multiple synagogues we will visit along the way.
While this tour covers the building’s exteriors and interiors, the interiors require an admission fee to the Jewish Museum. If you’re on a time crunch, you can visit the exteriors only. But, I would highly recommend going inside. And the Old Jewish cemetery, one of the most impactful parts of the journey, cannot be viewed without an entry ticket.
In addition to the sights you’ll miss, the admission fee you’ll pay helps preserve the history of this part of Prague. Creating more opportunities for future generations. The best way to get tickets is online. There are a variety of tickets available to buy, which will let you into a different combination of the interiors. My advice is to purchase the Jewish Town of Prague Combo Ticket. It costs CZK 550 or $25 USD for adults and 400 CZK or $18 USD for kids. This ticket includes entry to Old Jewish Cemetery, Old-New Synagogue, Spanish Synagogue, Maisel Synagogue, Pinkas Synagogue, Klausen Synagogue, Ceremonial Hall and temporary exhibitons in the Robert Guttmann gallery.
The opening hours for the buildings which make up the Prague Museum are 9 am to 6 pm in the summer. And 9 am to 4:30 pm in the winter.
Be aware that the museums are open every day EXCEPT Saturday and all Jewish holidays. Since most other museums are usually closed on Monday, visiting the Prague Jewish Quarter on a Monday is a great thing to schedule when the rest of Prague’s museums are closed.
The streets of Josefov have seen their fair share of sadness and horror over the years. The Jewish Quarter’s dark history began in the 13th century. Riots between the Jewish people and Christians were becoming more and more frequent. To subdue these riots, the Fourth Council of the Lateran ordered the segregation of the Jewish people from the Christians. And the first “Jewish Quarter” was formed. Jewish citizens were ordered to vacate their homes throughout Prague and settle into this one area of the city. Spálená and Vladislavova street were two spots that still exist today where you could find the formations of the Jewish Quarter
In the 16th century, Prague saw a kind of artistic and intellectual Renaissance. Academics and creatives from all across Europe began to flock to this mystical city. One of the most famous Jewish people to come to the city was Rabbi Loew. Rabbi Loew published more than 50 religious and philosophical books. Jacob Bashevi was another famous man who lived in this part of the city. And Jacob Bashevi was the first Jewish man to be knighted under the Hapsburg Empire.
But the man responsible for the Jewish quarters Golden Age was the great Mayor Mordechai Maisel. Today you can find one of the synagogues we’ll visit today named after Maisel himself. Maisel was Prague’s Minister of Finance and helped finance the development of the Quarter. He ensured the neighbourhood built new streets to support the growing infrastructure. New streets meant new building and the city had the finances, thanks to Maisel, to employ some of the best architects of the day. Resulting in the fantastical architecture you find in this area today.
The Czech name ‘Josefov‘ for the neighbourhood was inspired by Emperor Josefov II. During his rule, Josefov made it a point to emancipate the Jewish population. Granting them equal rights as citizens of Prague. His mother, Empress Maria Theresa, had only years earlier expelled all the Jewish people from Prague. But once Josefov became the Holy Roman Emperor, he not only reversed his mother’s cruel ruling but also officially recognized their religion.
Josefov also named the Jewish Quarter an official district of Prague and abolished the name “ghetto” when referring to the area. At the time, Prague had one of the largest Jewish populations in Europe. Here, they had a dynamic and vibrant Jewish neighbourhood where they could practice their religion, enjoy community festivities and bask in the beauty of the neighbourhood they had built up.
But the good times wouldn’t last forever. In 1939, Germany officially occupied Czech lands. At the time, over 92,00 Jewish people were living in Prague. This accounted for 20% of the population of Prague. As tension and fears began to mount, 26,000 Jewish people fled the country, escaping Germany-occupied cities. The remaining Jewish citizens were eventually imprisoned in concentration camps in Terezin and more than 80% were deported to Auschwitz.
Over 97,000 Jewish people from Prague and all over the Czech republic died in WWII. Only about 15,000 Jewish Czech people survived. More than half of these Jewish people chose to move to Israel after the war. Few chose to return to Prague. The memories of the past too painful to face. As you walk along the cobblestone roads and gaze at the incredible architecture, take into your memory the people who lost their lives and never got to return.
During World War II, after Hitler’s invasion of Prague, he made a surprising decision. Instead of burning and destroying all memory of the Jewish people, Hitler had his army collect almost all of Prague’s Jewish memorabilia. And preserved their synagogues. But his reason for doing so wasn’t out of any sort of pity or compassion. Prague’s Jewish history was only spared so Hitler could create his planned “Museum of an Extinct Race.” Millions of Jewish people across Europe perished during the Holocaust. But not all was lost.
After the war was over, the survivors freed, and the occupied cities restored, historians took back the stolen objects and artifacts taken in Prague. Despite over 60 synagogues across the Czech Republic and Europe that were destroyed, the ones in Prague remained.
Prague’s Jewish Quarter was now truly a precious treasure. As it contained such a large wealth of Jewish history in such a small area. In the 1980s, people began flocking to the city to marvel at its “Precious Legacy.” This was a new term was coined by the newly formed Prague Jewish Museum. They made it their mission to educate people and protect their beloved cultural histories.
I think one of the best places to start this tour is at the Robert Guttmann Gallery. Entry into this gallery is included in the admission to the Jewish Museum. This gallery featured images, art and artifacts from Jewish life in Prague. Here you’ll see old photos of buildings we’ll explore later in the walking tour. It will also help you learn more about the Jewish people who came to Bohemian and Moravian. And all about the persecution they suffered over the years.
I think the information presented here in the gallery helps contextualize the rest of the tour. It makes the fact that we can still see these buildings, that they were not lost, all the more powerful. In addition to the historical galleries, there are also temporary exhibitions that focus on modern Jewish visual art and artists.
After touring the gallery, get outside and head over to the Spanish Synagogue. The Spanish Synagogue stands in the spot where the oldest Synagogue in Prague, the Old School Temple, once stood. This Old School Temple Synagogue dated all the way back to 1142. But in the 19th century, the Old School synagogue wasn’t big enough for the growing community. So the new Spanish synagogue was built and the old one torn down.
The Spanish Synagogue is built in Moorish Revival Style, defined by its muscular horseshoe arches, the onion-shaped dome, and its intricate and ornate decorative patterns. These beautiful patterns can be found on both the exterior and interior decor. After being handed over to the Jewish museums in 1958, the museum found the synagogue needed a lot of restoration. This restoration wasn’t completed until 1998, when it was finally restored to its original beauty.
You cannot visit the Spanish synagogue without stepping inside. The white exterior hides an absolutely spectacular secret. Stepping in the front doors, you’re immediately struck with a cacophony of colours and patterns. High above your head is the famed stained glass window of Magen David, designed in 1882.
With everything going on around you, you might not think to look down at your feet, but I implore you to do so! You’ll marvel at the incredible gilded and polychromic arabesque parquet floors that spread throughout the synagogue. Arabesque flooring is defined by its use of flowers and foliage interlaced to create this mesmerizing pattern. Every inch of this interior is covered in decorations, and the place seems to vibrate from all the gold inside.
High above your head is the grandiose vaulted cupola. It is covered in lavish gilded decorations and vibrant colours. The skylight, in the shape of the star of David with pale red points, allows light to flow into the interior. Illuminating the room with a heavenly glow.
On the north side of the roundabout outside the Spanish Synagogue you’ll see the tall, puzzling statue of Franz Kafka. This was designed by artist Jaroslav Róna. Despite writing all of his literature in Germany, Franz Kafka was a prodigy from Prague. He was born in Prague and grew up in the old Jewish Quarter. His bar mitzvah was held at another stop on our tour; the Old-New synagogue.
Kafka’s memory and influence lives on through these little dedications found throughout the city. Kafka is most notable for his writings focused on anxiety and alienation. No doubt influenced by his life as a Jewish man in Prague’s Jewish Quarter. This statue in the square depicts the images of Franz Kafka atop the shoulders of a headless figure. This piece was a reference Kafka’s 1912 story, “Description of a Struggle.”
Continue walking down Široká until you reach Pařížská street. This is also known as “Paris Street.” Along Paris Street is where you’ll find high-end designer shops and trendy cafes. Inspired by the tree-lined avenues of Paris, Pařížská street saw a massive redesign in the 20th century. Happily for us, this took place during the height of the Art Nouveau period! Therefore most of the buildings in the Jewish Quarter are designed within that umbrella. While baroque is the predominant style of architecture throughout the rest of the city, the Jewish Quarter gets to flaunt this distinct style. The intersections of Pařížská and Široká are where you can find the most stunning examples.
Take a stroll down Červená street. One of the most incredible examples of Art Nouveau architecturecan be found at the Restaurace U Stare Synagogy. This restaurant, located beside the High Synagogue, was built in 1907 by architects František Weyr and Richard Klenka.
While most art nouveau buildings in Prague are covered in white or pale pastel stucco, this building is painted a dark grey. And in some lights, I swear it is almost purple! This makes it stand out against the rest of the surrounding structures! The building is trimmed in bright gold ornaments. And its red-tiled roof is complemented with dark wood trim and wrought iron flourishes. In the early 1900s, the Czech Republic was a part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. As such, the Art Nouveau style we find in Prague is more reflective of the Austrian Secession Style.
Walk down the narrow Červená lane. Make a stop outside the unassuming beige stucco building with a steep red roof. This is one of the most elite synagogues in the Quarter, hidden inside these walls. This is the High synagogue or ‘Vysoká synagoga‘. “High” refers to the fact that it was built on the first floor, above ground level, to prevent the constant flooding the rest of the city suffered from. The High Synagogue was also located inside what used to be the Jewish Council of Elders room.
The interior was transformed into a space modelled after the great High synagogue built in Krakow in the 16th century. Mordechai Maisel donated the funds for its construction and granted the city a few of his personal historical pieces to be housed here. These included such precious items as his ancient Torah and silver pointer. Spared from the war were hundreds of old Hebrew books which were of great importance to the Jewish people.
Today, the synagogue’s interior is the best preserved of all the ones in the Quarter. Unfortunately, it is not open to the public. Standing outside the walls, let me help you picture the interior. Or refer to the pictures below. High gothic ribbed vaults cover the ceiling and gilded stucco rosettes decorate the peaks of the vaults. A candleabara and menorah sit on either side of the niches between the great Torah placed in the centre of the Synagogue.
Walk a few more steps towards to the corner of Maiselova and Červená street. Here we come to find the great Jewish Town Hall. Although the original building was destroyed in a fire in 1754, this new version retains the Rococo designs of the original. The town hall was used as a local meeting house for the Jewish community. The building was, once more, financed by Mordechai Maisel, who at the time was the richest man in Prague. The older name for this building was actually the Maisel Town Hall.
Take your eyes from the street level to the top of the building. Here you’ll find a magnificent clock tower and spire. The top of the spire is finished with a finial in the shape of the star of David. Look closely and see if you can spot the small bell in the centre. This was used to call people to prayer or to announce meetings inside the town hall.
But what really makes this building unique are the two clocks. While the larger of the two on the very top of the tower is the most prominent, the smaller one is actually the one we’re going to focus on. This clock, located on the northern dormer window, has a dial with Hebrew numbers. And those dials run counterclockwise. This is because it is to be read the same as Hebrew writings, from right to left.
Turn around and look at the building on the northeast corner. Standing guard over this area is the solemn and enduring Old-New Jewish Synagogue. Also known as Altneushul in Yiddish. This is the first gothic building built in Prague, completed in 1270. It is the best example of Cistercian Gothic in Bohemia. It is also the oldest standing synagogue in Europe that is still used for religious services. It’s one thing to visit a building used as a museum, but another to see it in practice, just as it has been used for almost 1000 years.
The Old-New Jewish Synagogue has been the spiritual heart of the Jewish quarter since its construction. It was a place where people would not only come for prayer but also for celebrations. And as a place of refuge. Legend has it that the synagogue was first built atop a base of stones brought from Jerusalem. They were brought to the city by angels. Originally the temple was called the “New Synagogue” since it was the first one of its kind in Prague. But as time passed and newer synagogues began popping up, it became known as the “old synagogue”. Today, they combine the two nicknames to preserve their historical value.
From the outside of the building, you can study its medieval twin nave design. On the western facade, you can see the dark red gothic brick gables and rather obtrusive support pillars which jut out from the sides. The lower roofline has a few large windows that look into the synagogue’s nave. Before, an addition was added where women could come and pray; this was the only place women could witness the services. As per Jewish doctrine, men and women are not allowed to sit in the same space inside a synagogue. This new annexe is located just on the northern side, to the left of this facade. Twelve gothic brick windows encircle the synagogue to let light inside. These twelve windows are representative of the 12 Israeli tribes, a number which is often repeated inside.
One of the most important legends from this synagogue is that of the Golem of Prague. In Jewish folklore, a golem is a magical creature created from clay or mud by a powerful ritual. In 1389, over 3,000 Jewish people living in Prague were murdered by Catholics in a devastating event. Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel feared for his people after these attacks. He decided to protect them he needed to create a Golem. He went to the banks of the Vltava River and performed Hebrew incantations which created the Golem of Prague. They implored the Golem to defend the Prague Jewish Quarter from anti-Semitic attacks. The Golem lived in the synagogue’s attic and remained silent until his time of need.
During WWII, a nazi agent came to the temple to destroy it. He entered through the attic from the stairs on the outside. Upon entering the synagogue, he encountered the Golem. When the agent tried to stab the Golem, he was instantly killed. Therein the Golem protected the synagogue from being destroyed.
Today, there is still a set of iron stairs on the exterior. These are the very stairs used to access the attic. The last few steps have been removed to prevent anyone unsuspecting from entering the resting place of the Golem. Just in case they awaken him once more.
The interior of the synagogue is an assortment of several centuries of designs. The building has been expanded over the years, but the central nave has remained mostly unchanged since the 14th century. Entering the synagogue, you enter through the vestibule built in the 15th century. You’ll pass under the early gothic tympanum with a relief atop it featuring a tree with 12 vines. Each of the vines represents the 12 Israeli tribes we mentioned earlier.
Entering the synagogue’s nave, we can see that it’s a double nave design that slightly imitates a catholic church layout. This is because there were no Jewish architects at the time, so the designers who built this synagogue were drawing off their experience in building Catholic churches. Although there are not as many rules to building a synagogue as churches, the temple’s main focal point should be on the central axis facing Jerusalem. The ceiling of this great synagogue features a unique form of vaulting comprised of a five-rib vault instead of the traditional four. This fifth rib always arches towards the exterior walls to help with structural support. The decor throughout the temple features leaves and other natural elements. This is because, in Jewish synagogues, we do not have images of humans portrayed in a religious context.
In the centre of the nave is the bimah, an elevated platform where the rabbi comes to read the Torah during services. This bimah is the very same one that has been used since the late 15th century. Unlike some Catholic churches where the priests are hidden by the choir screen, the bimah allows the entire community to see the rabbi as he speaks. Surrounding the bimah are rows of seats. These seats also cleverly can flip down to be turned into desks. Desks are needed inside a synagogues since this is where medieval Jewish people would come to read, study and discuss philosophy and religions. Like a classroom for all ages.
Along the northern wall of the temple is the large red flag. This is the flag of the Jewish Community of Prague. It shows the Star of David with a small golden kipa (a traditional hat worn by Jewish men) in the centre. Surrounding the flag is the Hebrew prayer ‘Shema Yisrael‘ embroidered in gold thread. The flag was given to the people of Prague’s Jewish community by Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor. It was a gift in recognition for their services in defence of Prague during the Thirty Years War.
Down the street from the Old-New Synagogue, on the corner of U Starého hřbitova street, is the oldest baroque synagogue in Prague, the Klausen Synagogue. In addition to being the oldest baroque building, it is also the largest surviving synagogue. The temple’s name comes from the Latin word “claustrum,” which means “small rooms.” The original building that once stood here consisted of three small rooms or spaces; a synagogue for religious services, a ritual bath, and a Talmud school where the renowned Rabbi Loew taught. The new 16th-century synagogue sits on the same site as the previous temple, which burnt down in the early 1600s.
While the exterior of the building is rather simple brick, the interior is where this place truly shines. Stucco details decorate the ceiling and galleries. Motifs of ribbons and fruit, painted in pale greens, intertwine overhead. During the second world war, the Nazis destroyed most of the beautiful historic baroque decorations and furnishings. They turned the building into an ample storage space during the war. After the war, the building was restored back to its formed glory.
But one item was spared from the destruction; the Holy Torah Ark. The Torah Ark is a cabinet, a piece of furniture found in temples where the precious Torah scrolls are kept. Standing at the front of the synagogue, you’ll still find this fantastic, three-storey-tall work of art. It is made entirely of marble, a mixture of red and green stones carved into an almost architectural feature. Perhaps it was too large and heavy for the Nazis to move. Whatever the reason, you feel like you’re truly standing in front of something extraordinary when you visit. So many of these items were lost after the war but this was spared. On each level of the Ark are various Hebrew inscriptions.
Sitting in a glass case in front of the Ark is a copy of the Torah scroll unfurled. Different ornamental items used by the rabbi during services are also displayed in the glass case for visitors to admire. Many of these items would not usually be visible to the public during services, so this is an excellent opportunity to get up close and learn more about each item. It’s essential to know that this unrolled Torah is a copy of the original since Jewish people do not allow holy text to be publicly displayed.
Silver Torah shields show the congregation what reading would take place that day. You can study the gold Hanukkah lamps and a silver Pidyon ha-Ben trayf from the 19th century, which depicts a scene of the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt. One of my favourite parts of the synagogue is the single circular stained glass window. The pale blue circle is decorated with the star of David in beautiful golden glass. Against the rather monotone interior colours, this vibrant burst of colour really stands out!
Behind the Klausen Synagogue, we find the moss-covered stones and footstep-worn pathways of the Old Jewish Cemetery. Here is where some of the oldest residents of Prague’s Jewish Quarter have been laid to rest. The original Jewish cemetery was located where we can now find Vladislava street. The original cemetery was dubbed the “Jewish Garden” as most of it was left to the elements, and it became overgrown and wild. Residents of the neighbourhood began to complain about the smell, and the community was ordered to move the cemetery in 1478.
Morbidly, the roads of New Town were actually built atop these old tombs. Although there is no recorded history of when the Old Cemetery (then the “new cemetery”) was established, we know that its earliest recorded gravestone dates back to 1439. The last person to be buried here was during the 17th century, after Emperor Josef II banned burials anywhere inside the city walls for hygienic reasons.
Waking in this cemetery for the first time is a powerful moment for those who have never seen it. We usually think of cemeteries in a very organized and orderly way. Each stone is given its own plot of land sectioned a few feet away from another. But the Old Jewish Cemetery is entirely different. The gravestones look like a pile of dominos, stacked one on top of the other in an almost haphazard fashion. The sprawling grounds of the cemetery roll up and down, spread out on various levels.
In Jewish law, deceased ancestors are not allowed to be moved or tombstones to be removed. Despite buying more and more land eventually, there was no space left for new burials. Because there was nowhere left to expand, a new layer of soil was piled on top of the old graves to make room for new ones. In some areas, more than 12 layers of graves are stacked on top of each other! There is something genuinely overpowering upon seeing these piles of graves. The magnitude of the number of people who once lived in this area thrust upon you.
Studying the various tombstones is one of the most interesting parts of walking through the graveyard. Even if you can’t read the Hebrew words carved into the stones, each one is still visually arresting. There are two different kinds of monuments in the cemetery. One is a simple headstone; these are the most common ones you’ll see almost everywhere throughout the cemetery. The other one is much larger and looks almost like a stone tent. These are called tumbas and were significant community members during the baroque era. In the 16th century, Jewish gravestones were not just marked in Hebrew with the date of the person’s birth and death. They also included a eulogy of the life of the deceased. This is why most gravestones are covered in the text, almost so much that they look like an ornamental pattern.
Later on, in the 17th century, these eulogies were simplified into symbolic characterizations, which give a metaphoric glimpse into the character of the person buried below. Some of these emblems also might signify the person’s occupations or what clan they might belong to. Two hands denote that they are beloved to the Aron Tribe of priests, a bear and a kettle refer to the Levi family, and a mouse is the symbol of the Masiel family.
The oldest tombstone in the cemetery is that of Avigdor Kara, buried in a tumbas in 1439. Other famous graves you can see when visiting are:
On the northern side of the Klausen Synagogue, we find one of the saddest areas of the cemetery, Nephele Hill. Nephele Hill is where children who died before one month are buried. Nephele is the Hebrew word for miscarriage since many of the children buried here died due t miscarriages. It’s impressive to see that something we so often cover up or hide in this modern world was given such reverence and care hundreds of years ago. Sometimes there is something to be learned from our past to change the future.
An inscription above the entrance to the Ceremonial Hall reads, “the Holy society, performing merciful deeds.” Although now a reconstruction of the original, this building was the place of the Burial Brotherhood, who performed the ceremonial death rites on the dead of Prague’s Jewish Quarter. The design of the exterior was done by architect J. Gerstl in 1906-1908. It was produced in neo-Roman style, with details like heavy masonry, columns and detailed capitals on the windows, round arches and simplistic iron grilles. The hall was used until the 1920s as a mortuary, but today is a part of the Jewish museum. The morgue was initially located in the basement, and the first floor was where ritual purification of the dead (taharah) took place.
The interior of the ceremonial hall has some of the most exquisite mosaic work. The geometric floral patterns seem almost too pretty for a mortuary and bloom across the first floor. Inside various display cases inside the ceremonial hall are items from the history of the Prague Burial Society. The most amazing of these pieces is a series of baroque paintings from the 1770s. Each of these 15 paintings details the Jewish community’s customs and ceremonies that occur after someone dies. There are also some fascinating relics from the graveyard safely stored inside. These are some of the oldest tombstones which can no longer be left outside due to their deterioration.
Head across U Starého hřbitova street and turn north a few feet to Maiselova 41/21. Maiselova street is named after Mordecai Maisel, a name you must be sick of hearing by now, but the repetition only cements his great importance. Historically this street was nicknamed “gold street” due to the vast amounts of gold Maisel donated to the crown to aid his war against the Turks. This apartment complex was built in 1911 by Klenka and Weyr. The two silhouettes on the front window were meant to resemble Mordecai Maisel and his beautiful wife. In the centre between them is a star of David surrounded by, and you might be able to guess, piles of gold coins.
Siroka Street is another avenue to find some of the best views of Prague’s incredible 19th and 20th-century architecture. #9 on this street is an old apartment building built in 1908 with one of the most mythical doorways seen anywhere in the city. Further up the building are some gorgeous mosaic cameos with images of traditional Czech men and women.
#36 is the old Jewish General Hospital. #11 is a Gothic masterpiece by architect Josef Blecha, built-in 1905, called the House At Saint George. Its namesake is featured on the facade of the building, standing atop the slain corpse of the giant dragon.
Walking south down Maiselova street, set a few meters away from the road, behind a set of bright blue painted fences, is the Maisel Synagogue. Finally, we reach the synagogue named after the man who seemingly is responsible for almost the entirety of Prague’s Jewish Quarter. If you weren’t looking closely, you might not recognize the building as an old synagogue. The architectural style seems so similar to that of old neo-gothic palaces.
The first synagogue built here was made in 1590. But this building was severely damaged in 1689 in the fire which ran rampant throughout the Jewish ghetto. For a synagogue named after one of the richest men in Prague, it is ironic that after WWII, when the temple fell to ruins, there was no money to restore it. It wasn’t until the 19th century that a full restoration took place to restore the synagogue to its former glory.
There is a charming legend about how Mordechai Maisel earned so much money over his lifetime. The legend goes that once Maisel was just a simple man who owned a small shop. One day, a man came by and left a large chest inside the shop and said he would return later to retrieve it. The man never returned, but Maisel, an honest man, did not open the chest. Years later, when Maisel saw his city on the verge of ruin and in dire need of financing, he opened his chest. Because Maisel hadn’t been greedy and opened it right away, the divine blessed him, and the chest was full of gold coins. Although the reality is that he was just an incredibly hard worker and a dedicated community member, the legend is still amusing.
The synagogue’s interior contains opulent nine-branched gilded candelabras, which decorate the gallery’s arcades above. It also is home to one of the oldest synagogal curtains from the end of the 16th century. During WWII, this synagogue was gutted and used to store over 6,000 pieces of Jewish artwork from all over synagogues in Bohemia and Moravia. The pieces saved after the war were returned to the State Jewish Museum, but the Maisel synagogue kept a collection of silver used in Jewish rituals from Czech synagogues throughout history.
The small and unassuming Pinkas Synagogue is the best place to end this tour. It is perhaps the most sombre of all the synagogues. From the exterior, this place looks more like a family home than a temple, which is for a good reason. In 1492 this was home to a distinguished Jewish family, the Horowitz family. They were extremely religious and built a private oratory attached to their house.
In 1535, the oratory was replaced with a public synagogue that the family could share with their community. In the basement of the house, we can still find the 15th-century Mikvah. A Mikvah is a ritual bath used in Judaism to achieve ritual purity. Besides the Mikvah, several old wells and ancient cellars are the earliest archaeological discoveries of ancient Jewish settlements in Prague. Today, this synagogue is most notable for containing a moving memorial to the Czech victims of the Holocaust.
The interior is very austere and feels like a museum of architectural styles since so many different ones are on display. On the ceiling, you can see the gothic reticulated vault system. On the walls, we can study Renaissance ornamentation. The bimah in the centre of the room is from the baroque era since the synagogue floor was below ground level and, over the years, was subject to multiple floods. The grille surrounding the bimah was decorated in rococo style and donated by successful businessman Joachim von Popper. The grill has the emblem of Prague’s Jewish Community, as seen in the Old-New synagogue’s red flag, embedded into the wrought iron.
One of the most surprising elements of the synagogue is the geometric art-nouveau stained glass found on the windows throughout. The delicate cool colours and abstract shapes lend to the subdued atmosphere while adding an artistic element.
A portion of the walls inside the synagogue has been covered with 78,000 names of the Jewish members of the Czech Republic who were victims of the Holocaust. These names are arranged by the various individual communities where the victims came from. In these sections, they are listed from their birth to their death. Often you’ll still find family members making a pilgrimage here to pray for their fallen ancestors.
One of the most moving parts of the synagogue is on the first floor, where you can see an exhibition of pictures drawn by children from the Terezín ghetto between 1942 and 1944. Sadly, most of the children who authored these drawings were sent to Auschwitz, where they were killed. These drawing sessions were actually led by painter Friedl Dicker-Brandeis. Dicker-Brandeis provided drawing lessons to the children in the ghetto.
But instead of just following the drab curriculum provided by the Nazis, she encouraged the children’s artistic skills as a kind of therapy. It was a way of the procession of losing their homes and the harshness of life in the ghetto. She had the children draw their emotions and their memories. We are today left with such a compelling look into the eyes of a child during this tumultuous time. Dicker-Brandeis herself was sent to Auschwitz, where she was murdered. With a few moments warning before being put onto the trains, she hid all 4,500 of these drawings in a suitcase and stashed it away inside her house where the Nazis wouldn’t find it. Years later, it was uncovered by the Jewish Museum in Prague. They took it upon themselves to ensure the memories of these children lived on, even when they did not.
After this tour, you are, no doubt, feeling a bit hungry. And what better thing to eat than a modern, kosher meal. There are still a few remaining Kosher restaurants in the area, but the best has to be King Solomon. They have a wonderful philosophy about their cooking. They are passionate about following their ancestors’ traditions while incorporating fresh ingredients and new cooking methods. Their grilled fallow deer steak with mushroom sauce and potato pancake is my absolute favourite! The dishes are a bit pricey, but such is the price of tradition. Skip the wine, which I found to be the most over-priced, and you can enjoy the food without it!
This brings us to the end of the tour. If you’re a history buff like me, hopefully, you’ve enjoyed all the details I’ve included in this tour to help you walk back in time and discover the trails of the amazing Jewish people of Prague. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about the tour!
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I have just finished reading all your blog posts about Prague and I cannot thank you enough!!! First of all, I enjoyed reading them. Second, I have taken pages of notes for our trip to Prague and the Czech Republic in 2 weeks. Your posts will be so, so helpful. Thank you for all your work on these.
Aw, thanks so much Bonnie! I love doing all the writing and research but it means so much to me when people leave me these kind words! If you have any questions about your trip let me know, always happy to help out!
Thanks for this info - I've been to Prague several times... This time with my little girls, your guide has made our visit even more enthralling and informative!
Aw David that is AMAZING to hear. I love the fact you brought your little girls to Prague, I know I would have loved to visit when I was a little kid. Let me know what there other favourite things were. I think seeing the city through the eyes of a child must be such a special thing.