Visit Josefov, Prague’s Jewish quarter

Visit Prague’s Jewish Quarter: discover the Prague Jewish Museum, the Old-New Synagogue and other relics of the Josefov district!

A former Jewish ghetto in the city of Prague, the Josefov or Jewish Quarter is one of the oldest in Prague, especially in the Old Town. One of the largest Jewish communities in Central Europe, it has a rich and eventful history.

Only a few symbols remain: synagogues, museums and cemeteries. To discover them is to travel through the history of Bohemia and Europe.

The history of Prague’s Jewish quarter

The history of the Josefov district begins with the arrival of the first Jews in Prague in the 8th century. Initially scattered throughout the city, the community decided to gather in the Old Town. Benefiting from an autonomous jurisdiction, the Jewish population alternated between periods of persecution, when they suffered pogroms, discrimination and expulsions, and periods of prosperity, as in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

This clement period coincided with the life of the district’s mayor: Marcus Mordecai Maisel, the kingdom’s Minister of Finance, who, thanks to his wealth and generosity, developed the Jewish quarter. We owe him the famous Maisel synagogue that bears his name. It was also at this time that the myth of the Golem was born!

Facade in the Josefov district – Photo credit: WikiMedia -Besenbinder

The Jewish quarter took the name Josefov in the 18th century, another great period of prosperity, when Emperor Joseph II issued a decree of tolerance in 1781.

On a tour of Prague’s Jewish Quarter, you’ll learn that it was largely demolished in the early 19th century, following an initiative inspired by the Parisian Haussmann model, which aimed to clean up and reshape the city. Josefov was bisected by the long Avenue de Paris(Pařížská), which ran from Old Town Square to the Vltava River in the north. All that remains of the old Jewish quarter are the six synagogues, the old cemetery and the town hall. Renovation work has made it difficult to discern what the old quarter looked like today.

How to visit Prague’s Jewish Quarter

The main points of interest and sightseeing in Prague’s Jewish Quarter are :

How to find the Josefov district How do I get there?

Prague Jewish Museum

Born out of the redesign of the Jewish Quarter, the museum boasts one of the world’s most important collections on the history, customs and traditions of the Jewish community in Bohemia and Moravia. The museum is divided between the historic synagogues (Klaus, Maisel, Espagnole, Pinkas), so don’t hesitate to take advantage of a guide to visit them.

Opening hours :

• Every day except Saturday and Jewish holidays
• November to March: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• April to October: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

One-way ticket at CZK 350 (€14) for an adult and sightseeing tour at CZK 530 (€21) for an adult.

The Klaus Synagogue – Photo credit: Flickr -দেবর্ষি রায়

The Old Jewish Cemetery

Founded in the 15th century, this is the oldest Jewish cemetery in Prague. Others have disappeared over time. Along with the Heiliger Sand in Worms, Germany, it is one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in Europe. Tickets and opening hours are shared with the Prague Jewish Museum. Access is via the Pinkas synagogue (rue Sikora).

The Old-New Synagogue

One of Prague’s oldest Gothic buildings. Worship is still held here today. It can be visited independently of the other synagogues, administered by the museum and the Jewish community.

Opening hours :

• Every day except Saturday and Jewish holidays.
• November to March: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• April to October: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Museum of Decorative Arts

Opening hours:

Open Tuesdays from 10am to 8pm, Wednesdays to Sundays from 10am to 6pm.

The Jewish Quarter is juxtaposed with the tourist areas of the Old Town, and a visit here is an excellent way to discover the history of Prague and its gradually reviving Jewish community.

Main Photo Credit: Flickr – Garrett Ziegler