Prague Jewish Quarter: Complete Guide to Josefov's Historic Heritage

The Maisel Synagogue, originally a Renaissance temple from 1592, now houses an engaging exhibition on Jewish history from the 10th to 18th centuries. Its Neo-Gothic design and multimedia displays tell the story of Jewish life, achievements, and challenges in the Bohemian lands.

The Pinkas Synagogue, founded in the 16th century, is a moving memorial to nearly 80,000 Czech Holocaust victims. Its walls bear their names, and its exhibits include heart-wrenching children’s drawings from the Terezín Ghetto, preserving memories of lives lost.

The Old Jewish Cemetery operates from the 15th century until the 18th century and is one of the must-visit cemeteries in the world according to National Geographic. The dense cemetery contains approximately 12,000 gravestones that many of them have remarkable animals and flora decorations. Among the famous public figures at the cemetery, you can find Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel (Maharal), who by the legend creates the Golem, a creature made of clay to protect the Jewish Ghetto. Other well-known figures that are buried at the cemetery are the poet Avigdor Kara, the scholar, David Gans, and Mordecai Maisel. Maisel was the leader and the mayor of the Jewish quarter (which back then considered as a town) that his own personal fortune contributes to the welfare of the Ghetto residents. Written in stone, the Old Jewish Cemetery tells a piece of the Jewish community history in Prague and is an inanimate reminder of a Jewish life that is no longer exists.

The Klausen Synagogue (Klausová synagoga), Prague’s largest in the Jewish Quarter, showcases the beauty of Baroque architecture. Built in 1694, it features exhibits on Jewish religious practices, family traditions, and Hebrew texts, offering a window into spiritual and everyday Jewish life in Bohemia.

Once a mortuary for the Prague Burial Society, the Jewish Ceremonial Hall now explores burial customs and rituals. Its Neo-Romanesque architecture and exhibits provide an insightful look into Jewish traditions of honoring the deceased, making it a key historical and cultural site.

A 16th-century building that serves as an administrative center to the Jewish Town and a gathering place to the community and Town's Council. During the centuries the structure was damaged and rebuilt a few times in different architectural styles. The building which is close to the public is known not only for the function it had in the community's daily life but also for its wonderful bell tower. The Town Hall's bell tower has two unique clocks, a counterclockwise Hebrew letters clock and another with Roman numerals that works simultaneously.

The Jewish Town Hall is also hosting the High Synagogue (Vysoká synagoga). A High Renaissance style synagogue that was built inside the first floor of the Town Hall, in 1577. It was financed by the community leader and town's mayor, Mordechai Maisel, for the private use of the Council. While the interior is preserved yet close to the public, you can still view the impressive 19th-century façade from the outside.

Designed in an early-Gothic Style, the Old New Synagogue (Staronová synagoga or Altneuschul) was inaugurated in 1270 and is Europe's oldest synagogue. Operates continuously since the 13th century, the synagogue was inactive only in 1942 – 1945, During the intolerably horrifying years of World War II that annihilate so many Jewish lives in Prague and all of Europe. The Old New Synagogue is famously known not only in Prague but the Jewish world due to its prominent Rabbis: Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel (Maharal), who is believed to be the creator of Golem and that according to the legend, the Synagogue's attic is the Golem's remains final resting place. And, Rabbi Yechezkel Landau who wrote "Noda Biyhudah", one of the Halakha's most important books.

For the first two years of his life (1883-1885), the world-famous author Franz Kafka lived at the Jewish Quarter, at the corner of Maiselova and Kaprova streets. To honor his legacy, an entrancing 800 kg memorial bronze statue (Jaroslav Róna) of a man sitting on an empty suit was placed at Dušní Street.

The Jewish Museum in Prague stands as a poignant tribute to the resilience and history of Jewish communities in Bohemia and Moravia. Founded in 1906 by historian Salomon Hugo Lieben and city councilor August Stein, it is one of Europe’s oldest Jewish museums. Originally created to preserve artifacts from synagogues destroyed during the Ghetto demolition, its purpose shifted during World War II to safeguarding invaluable Judaica from communities annihilated by the Holocaust. Today, it is the largest Jewish museum in Europe, housing over 40,000 artifacts and 100,000 books, documents, and textiles—a testament to lives tragically cut short.

The museum is headquartered in a building that once served as a Jewish community hospital. It also oversees several key sites in the Jewish Quarter, each offering unique insights into Jewish culture, history, and faith: Old Jewish Cemetery, Spanish Synagogue, Jewish Ceremonial Hall, Maisel Synagogue, Pinkas Synagogue, Klausen Synagogue, and Robert Guttmann Gallery.

Visiting the Jewish Museum in Prague is an unforgettable journey through centuries of faith, art, and survival, preserving a legacy that continues to inspire and educate.

The Spanish Synagogue captivates with its rich Neo-Moorish design and golden interiors inspired by Spain’s Alhambra. Built in 1868, it stands on the site of the oldest ghetto synagogue and tells stories of Jewish heritage, art, and reform movements through its stunning exhibitions.

The Robert Guttmann Gallery (Galerie Roberta Guttmanna), named for the Jewish Czech painter, offers rotating exhibitions of art and artifacts. Opened in 2001, it showcases Jewish culture, history, and creativity, highlighting themes from daily life to the harrowing experiences of World War II.