Jewish Quarter, Prague, Czech-Republic | Jewish Quarter Prague photos and more information

Prague Jewish Quarter, Prague Overview

Once regarded as a Jewish Ghetto, today, the Prague Jewish Quarter is one of the most significant historical areas in Prague, located between the Old Town Square and the Vltava River. Home to six historic synagogues, including the Old-New Synagogue, the oldest operational synagogue in Europe, it comprises Old Jewish Cemetery, with over 12,000 tombstones, which is one of the oldest in Europe and holds graves up to 10 layers deep.

Originally considered as a slum area occupied by the Jews during 1200s, the Jewish Quarter was limited to the Castle District. It later on expanded to Josefov area and was transformed into one of the PragueÍs most fascinating place to visit. Today, the place boasts of housing Art Nouveau apartment buildings but with a tint of some old flavours. However, the major attraction of the quarter is the Jewish Museum, which comprises of six distinct ancient sites, all being accessible through single ticket. The Maisel Synagogue, the Spanish Synagogue, the Pinkas Synagogue, the Old Jewish Cemetery, the Ceremonial Hall, and the Klaus Synagogue are the six beautiful historic buildings housed in the museum premises, each one reflecting an amusing aspect of PragueÍs past.

1. Old Jewish Cemetry

The Old Jewish Cemetery is located in Josefav, Czech. This is one of the most significant Jewish historical monuments in Prague and one of the greatest of its kind in all of Europe. It served its purp (Read More)ose from the early half of the 15th century until 1786. Businessman Mordecai Meisel, historian David Gans, and rabbi David Oppenheim are the prominent local Jews buried here. The Jewish Museum in Prague is currently in charge of running the cemetery. The cemetery has upwards of 12,000 headstones, but it is estimated that up to 100,000 people are buried beneath them! The Jewish custom forbids the removal of old graves; thus, the deceased were piled on one another for decades.

Timings : Sunday - Monday: 9 AM - 6 PM

Entry Fee : EUR 12
Additional EUR 1 for photography

The Spanish Synagogue in Prague stands where Altschul once stood, the oldest synagogue in the city’s Jewish Quarter. Ironically, the Spanish Synagogue is now the youngest one in Prague. It stand (Read More)s separated from the Church of the Holy Spirit by an unconventional statue of Franz Kafka. The Spanish Synagogue gets its name from its grandiose Moorish-Andalusian architecture inspired by Alhambra in Spain. Once a place of holy gathering for the Jewish communities of the ghetto, the synagogue is now a part of the Jewish Museum in Prague. During the dark days of World War II, properties of the Jewish communities confiscated by German forces were stored in the synagogue. Although handed over to the Jews after the war, modern restorations did not start till after the Velvet Revolution. At present, the Spanish Synagogue displays a permanent exhibition on the history of the Jews in the Bohemian Lands from as early as the 1780s to after the end of World War II.

Timings : Sunday to Friday (For Museum):

January to March - 10:00 AM to 04:30 PM

April to October - 09:00 AM to 06:00 PM

November to December - 10:00 AM to 04:30 PM

December 24 - 10:00 AM to 02:00 PM

Closed on Saturdays and all Jewish holidays (calendar given on their website).

Entry Fee : Jewish Museum in Prague Tour

Adults: CZK 350

Children (6-15 years): CZK 250

Children under 6 years: Free

Students (Under 26): CZK 250

Disability Card Holders: CZK 50

Additional Information : Along with the Spanish Synagogue, the entry ticket gives collective access to Pinkas Synagogue, Old Jewish Cemetery, Klausen Synagogue, Maisel Synagogue, Ceremonial Hall and exhibitions at Robert Guttmann Gallery.

Admission Fee Details for The Jewish Quarter (Josefov)

Single Tickets
Prague Jewish Town (Maisel Synagogue, Pinkas Synagogue, Old Jewish Cemetery, Klausen Synagogue, Ceremonial Hall, Spanish Synagogue, Old-New Synagogue + temporary exhibitions in the Robert Guttmann Gallery):
Adults - CZK 500,
Children (aged 6 to 15 years) - CZK 320,
Students (upto 26 years) - CZK 320,
Disability cardholder accompanied by helper - CZK 85

Jewish Museum (Maisel Synagogue, Pinkas Synagogue, Old Jewish Cemetery, Klausen Synagogue, Ceremonial Hall, Spanish Synagogue + temporary exhibitions in the Robert Guttmann Gallery):
Adults - CZK 330,
Children (aged 6 to 15 years) - CZK 220,
Students (upto 26 years) - CZK 220,
Disability cardholder accompanied by helper - CZK 50

Family Tickets (2 adults and upto 4 children)
Prague Jewish Town:
Adults - CZK 500,
Children (aged 6 to 15 years) - CZK 160

Jewish Museum:
Adults - CZK 330,
Children (aged 6 to 15 years) - CZK 100