Self-guided Walk Jewish District

The Josefov district in Prague is home to the Jewish Museum. Follow the self-guided walk and you will see all the Jewish historical buildings in this Prague district – six synagogues, the jewish town hall and the old jewish cemetery.The best exhibits were saved by the Nazis because they wanted to create ‘an open-air museum of Jewish people’. That’s the reason why Prague was never bombed during the Second World War. End you walk by doing some serious (window) shopping in Parizska Street, the most upmarket shopping street in Prague.

Walking route past all the buildings that make up the Jewish Museum

START
In front of the Rudolfinum Theater at namesti (square) Jana Palacha.
Metro line A, station Staromestska, tram 17 and 18 Staromestska stop.

Keep the Rudolfinum on your left and follow Siroka Street. Pinkas Synagogue is on your left.

Pinkasova Synagogue: This synagogue was originally built as a public bath and converted into a synagogue in the sixteenth century. Inscribed on the walls are the names of 80,000 Czech Jews who perished in the Second World War.

Continue Siroka Street, take the first turning right. You are now in Maiselova Street and the Maiselova Synagogue is right opposite you.

Maiselova Synagogue: At the end of the sixteenth century Rudolf II, King of Bohemia, allowed Maisel, a wealthy Jew, to build a family synagogue. This was highly unusual because in those days Jews were not allowed to build houses or other constructions. It is most likely that Rudolf II was in financial difficulty and borrowed from moneylender Maisel in exchange for planning permission.

Retrace your steps and cross Siroka Street. On your right is the Jewish Town Hall.

Zidovska Radnice: The most striking feature of the Jewish Townhall, is the clock whose figures on the dial are in Hebrew and run in the opposite direction. Until this day this building has been the meeting place of the Jewish Council.

The adjacent building is the High Synagogue.
Vysoka Synagogue: its name, High Synagogue, refers to a prayer room ‘high up’ on the second floor. Wealthy Jews used to come here for their prayers.

Next door to the High Synagogue is the Old-New Synagogue which is not part of the Jewish Museum. This means that you will have to pay for a separate ticket if you want to visit it.

Cross Siroka Street. You are now opposite Klaus Synagogue.

Klausova Synagogue: the exhibits here are Hebrew manuscripts and Jewish utensils. During the Second World War, Hitler created this collection because he wanted to show Third Reich Citizens what Jewish lifestyle was like.

The entrance to the Old Jewish Cemetery is next to Klaus Synagogue.

Stary Zidovsky Zribitov: the Old Jewish Cemetery contains 12,000 jumbled headstones and 200,000 dead are buried here.

Retrace your steps through Maiselova Street, turn left into Siroka Street and cross Parizska Street. You are now in Vezenska Street.

The Spanish Synagogue is on your left, at the corner of Dusni Street.
Spanelska Synagoga: this striking Moorish building houses an exposition devoted to the history of the Moravian Jews, from the eighteenth century until present.

Retrace your steps and turn to the right into Parizska Street which leads straight to Old Town Square.

Address

Jewish Museum
U stare skoly 1
Prague 1, Josefov

Opening Hours

January – March: 09.00 – 16.30
April to October: 09.00 – 18.00 November to December: 09.00 – 16.30
Closed on Saturday and Jewish Holidays.