| The Jewish Quarter (Josefov) in Prague is located between Old Town Square and the Vltava River. While there is evidence for early 10th century settlement of the area, the turbulent history of the former Jewish Ghetto began in the 13th century, when Jewish people were ordered to vacate their disparate homes and settle in this one part of town. Over the centuries, with Jews banned from living elsewhere in Prague, and with new arrivals expelled from Moravia, Germany, Austria and Spain joining them, ever more people crowded into the quarter. To add to this, inhabitants of the ghetto had to endure structural changes enforced at the whim of the emperor or whichever ruler exercised control over them. The latest of these occurred in 1893-1913, when many buildings were flattened and the layout of the streets was remodelled, although fortunately most of the important buildings were saved from destruction.
In the 20th century, the Jewish Quarter buildings even survived Nazi occupation, because Adolf Hitler intended to preserve the area as a “Museum of an Extinct Race”. To this end, the Nazis plundered Jewish artefacts from other occupied territories in Central Europe and brought them to Prague to form part of the museum.
Today, the Jewish Quarter buildings remain a testimony to the history of the Jewish people in Prague and form the best preserved complex of historical Jewish monuments in Europe.
The Jewish Quarter has: six synagogues, including the Spanish Synagogue, Maisel Synagogue and the Old-New Synagogue; the Jewish Ceremonial Hall; and the remarkable Old Jewish Cemetery.
The most significant historical monuments are under the control of the Jewish Museum in Prague and the Old-New Synagogue. Together, these are called the Jewish Town Monuments.
The Jewish Quarter is also the birthplace of the celebrated Jewish novelist Franz Kafka, who is commemorated with a statue on Dusni Street.
HOW TO VISIT THE JEWISH QUARTER
There is no charge to explore the cobbled streets of the Jewish Quarter and admire its historic landmarks from the outside. However, entering the Jewish Town Monuments requires a Jewish Town Ticket, and you should allow several hours for your visit.
You can purchase a ticket and take a self-guided tour at the Jewish Museum Information Centre, located at Maiselova 15.
Alternatively, we highly recommend joining a guided Jewish Quarter Tour, which is led by a certified guide of the Jewish Museum and includes a Jewish Town Ticket in the price. Note: certified guides are limited, so advance booking is essential. Given the area's rich and turbulent history, and deep traditions and legends, it is difficult to overstate how much a guided tour can bring to your understanding of it all.
The following Prague tours also include a visit to the Jewish Quarter, to discover the historic monuments from the outside:
Old Town & Jewish Quarter Tour
Historical Centre Tour
Historical Centre & Castle Tour
Prague Explorer Tour + Boat Trip
Prague City & Castle Tour + Boat Trip.
An alternative way to see inside one of the Jewish Quarter's most impressive monuments is to attend a concert at the Spanish Synagogue.
TEREZIN CONCENTRATION CAMP
In World War II, thousands of Jewish people were deported from the Jewish Quarter to Terezín (Theresienstadt) Concentration Camp and Ghetto, located 60km from Prague. The Terezín Tour, which departs from Prague, continues the story of this dark episode in human history.
The Jewish Quarter today is an area both for reflection and inspiration. While its synagogues, cemetery and cobbled streets preserve its remarkable architecture and the story of Jewish life through the centuries, it is also somewhere where people from around the world gather to dine together, enjoy concerts and look forward with hope.
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