Jerusalem Synagogue Prague Art Nouveau at its Best

Jerusalem synagogue in Prague, also known as Jubilee synagogue, is not located in the Jewish quarter in Prague but in the Nove Mesto district near the Central Station. Built in Moorish style mixed with Art Nouveau details, this shul is one of the most beautiful in the city and certainly the largest. The Jerusalem synagogue is used as a place of worship for the Jewish community in Prague, but can also be visited.

Synagogue Exposition

The facade of the  synagogue alone is worth seeing; monumental arcades, a striking rose window in the shape of the hexagonal Star of David and two turrets on either side of the entrance. The interior is even more impressive and a mixture of Moorish and Art Nouveau styles. Two permanent exhibitions “The Jewish Community from 1945 to the Present” and “Jewish Monuments and Their Reconstruction after 1989” provide an overview of the Jewish community in Prague through photographs, documents, video images and documentaries. The synagogue is not part of the Jewish Museum in Prague, but is open to the public.

Jerusalem or Jubilee Synagogue?

The original name is Jubilee Synagogue in memory of the 50th anniversary of the reign of Emperor Franz Josef. Soon afterwards the name Jerusalem synagogue was used, which is a reference to the street in which the synagogue is located.
The construction of the synagogue started in 1905. At the end of the nineteenth century, three synagogues in the Jewish quarter were demolished due to slum clearance of the Josefov district. The Association for the Construction of a New Synagogue chose a location in Jerusalem Street; the place where the Jerusalem synagogue is located.

Address
Jerusalem / Jubilee Synagogue
Jeruzalémská 7, Prague
Opening hours
Sunday to Friday 11 am-5pm.
Closed Saturdays and Jewish holidays

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Jewish Museum in Prague, six synagogues, one Town Hall and one cemetery.
Old-New Synagogue, oldest active synagogue in Europe and last resting place of the Golem

photos Jerusalem Synagogue Wiki Commons

Great Synagogue in Pilsen

The Jerusalem Synagogue in Prague is large, impressive and stylish. Equally impressive and even larger is the Great Synagogue in Pilsen, the “beer city”. The shul in Pilsen is the fourth largest in the world, after Jerusalem and Budapest.

The Great Synagogue dates back to the end of the nineteenth century. The building is impressive with a mix of styles from Russian-Ortodox onion domes to Arab-style ceilings. A huge Star of David window adorns the façade. During the Nazi period, the synagogue served as a storage space and was thus spared destruction. In Communist days it fell into disrepair but was restored in the 1990s in all its splendor. The Great Synagogue is not used as a place of worship but hosts cultural events, exhibitions and concerts because of the perfect acoustics.

It is easy to go to Pilsen on a day trip from Prague. The city is less than 100 km south of Prague and the journey takes just under two hours by train.

Address: Sady Pětatřicátníků 35/11, Plzeň

Photo: Great Synagogue in Pilsen, courtesy Pat Rice, Why Pilsen