Jewish Museum in Prague | Jewish Town Monuments

Together with the Old-New Synagogue, these remarkable sights are collectively referred to as the 'Jewish Town Monuments'.

They represent the most significant historical sights in Prague's Jewish Quarter, and form the best-preserved complex of Jewish monuments in Europe.

JEWISH TOWN MONUMENTS

Maisel Synagogue
Founded in 1592, Maisel Synagogue exhibits a cross-section of the history of Jews in the Bohemian Lands, from the early Jewish communities of the 10th century through to their emancipation in the 18th century.

Spanish Synagogue
The Spanish Synagogue is often described as the most beautiful synagogue in Europe. The exhibition inside follows on chronologically from the displays at Maisel Synagogue. It details the history of Jews in the Bohemian Lands in the 19th and 20th centuries (a momentous period for Jews in Prague).

Pinkas Synagogue
Dating from 1535, Pinkas Synagogue is the work of the Horowitz family. After the Second World War, the synagogue was turned into a Memorial to the Jews of Bohemia and Moravia murdered by the Nazis. On its walls are inscribed the names of the Jewish victims, their personal data, and the names of the communities to which they belonged. There are 80,000 names.

Old Jewish Cemetery
Founded in the 15th century, the Old Jewish Cemetery is among the oldest surviving Jewish burial grounds in the world. It is also one of the most evocative; due to the overcrowded conditions in the ghetto and Jewish traditions, new burials were placed on top of earlier ones, as many as ten layers deep.

Klausen Synagogue
(closed until 2028 for renovation)
Located at the entrance to the Old Jewish Cemetery, the Klausen Synagogue was the largest synagogue in the Jewish ghetto and the seat of the Prague Burial Society. It houses a permanent exhibition entitled 'Jewish Customs and Traditions'.

Artschul Gallery
(closed for renovation)
The Artschul Gallery, formerly Robert Guttman Gallery after the Prague painter (1880-1942), hosts temporary exhibitions focusing on Jewish life, the persecution of Bohemian and Moravian Jews during the Second World War, Jewish monuments in Czechia, and the Jewish presence in contemporary visual art. The name Artschul is a play on words refering to the oldest synagogue Altschul, which stood on the site from the 13th century until 1686 and was the first reliably documented synagogue in Prague.

Ceremonial Hall
(closed until 2027 for renovation)
The Ceremonial Hall of the Prague Burial Society, part of the Old Jewish Cemetery, was built in the Neo-Romanesque style in 1906-08. It houses an exhibition 'Jewish Customs and Traditions', in particular focusing on the customs and ceremonies associated with death and burial.

Old-New Synagogue
The Old-New Synagogue is the oldest monument in the Jewish Quarter, and the oldest active synagogue in Europe.

HOW TO VISIT JEWISH TOWN MONUMENTS

There is no charge to explore the cobbled streets of the Jewish Quarter and admire its historic landmarks from the outside. However, entering the 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.

Opening hours: The Jewish Town Monuments are open all year-round, Sunday to Friday. They are closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays.

HISTORY OF JEWISH MUSEUM IN PRAGUE

The Jewish Museum in Prague was established in 1906, with the aim to preserve valuable artifacts from Prague synagogues and other historical buildings demolished in the partial redevelopment of the Jewish Quarter at the turn of the 20th century.

Following the Nazi invasion of 1939, the museum was abolished. But it was subsequently re-established by the Prague Jewish community in 1942, with Nazi approval, with the aim to preserve Jewish heritage. It was renamed the Central Jewish Museum, and became a shelter for the remainder of World War II for liturgical objects, books and archival documents from the defunct Jewish communities.

In 1950, the communist state took control and severely restricted its research and preservation work, and limited the extent of its displays.

On 1st October 1994, the Jewish Museum in Prague became an independent organisation once more. Soon after, it initiated a programme of restoration of the monuments under its care, which is on-going.

In addition to the Jewish Quarter Tour, 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 + Boat Trip
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.