Prague - Jewish Quarter

To get to the Jewish Quarter, one should take a ride by metro from our hotel to the Staromestska station. Outside the station you can ask the people for help finding the right direction to Josefov.

The most significant sites in the Jewish Quarter are discussed below.

Pinkas (Pinkasova) Synagogue founded in 1479 by Rabbi Pinkas. Since the Second World War it has served as a monument to all the 77,297 Jewish victims of the Nazis in Czechoslovakia. The names of the victims are inscribed on the walls. In the Pinkas Synagogue you will also be able to see a magnificent collection of art, created by children in the Terezin concentration camp during the Second World War.

Klausen (Klausová) Synagogue is a baroque building, completed in 1694. In this synagogue you can see an exhibition of Jewish traditions and customs, including Hebrew prints and manuscripts.

High (Vysoká) Synagogue was built in the 16th century and features an exhibition of Torah mantles, curtains, silver ornaments and a Jewish museum shop on the ground floor. In that shop we’ve bought a “Hamsa” (hamesh hand in Hebrew, according to the shop assistant). The “Hamsa” is an old and still popular apotropaic amulet designed as a magical protection from the envious or evil eye. I’m not sure about the way it works, but since that visit in Prague my spouse and I are able to afford a vacation overseas three to four times a year, so it’s strongly recommended.

The Jewish Town Hall (Židovská radnice) was built by Maisel in 1586. Its rococo facade was added in the 18 century. This synagogue is closed to visitors, but one can see a clock tower with Hebrew figures, whose hands run backwards, since Hebrew speaking Jews read from right to left.

Maisel (Maiselova) Synagogue was built by Maisel in the 16th century. Unfortunately the fire destroyed the original Renaissance building in 1689. In place of the destroyed one, a new neo-Gothic synagogue was built. Since the 1960s it had housed a beautiful collection of Jewish books, silver and textiles.

The Spanish Synagogue was built in 1868 and was named after its striking Moorish interior. There is an exhibition Jewish life in Czechoslovakia from emancipation to the present day.

Further information about Josefov’s history  

Further information about the old Prague Jewish cemetery

Further information about the Old-New Synagogue and Golem’s legend