Jewish Quarter Tours in Prague

Prague's old Jewish quarter, also known as Josefov, is located in the Old Town in the north of the capital and is one of Prague's main tourist attractions. It is not really a neighbourhood as such, but its essence and history has been preserved, dating back to the 10th century until the 20th century, when the neighbourhood was affected by the city's redevelopment works and lost a large part of its houses.

Today, the most important vestiges of the history of the Jewish community, which became one of the largest in Europe, have been preserved. What remains are the Jewish cemetery and the six synagogues that are still standing, many of which are still active. The best way to get to know this piece of Prague's history is to take a guided tour, and here you will find all the information you need.

The most recommended option

Prague Jewish Quarter Tour

Prague Tour: Jewish Quarter

Discover Prague's second most visited site and the history of the Jewish people in Prague with a guided tour.

From £51 at Hellotickets

A specialised guide leads this two-and-a-half hour tour during which you will visit different synagogues as well as the Jewish cemetery in Prague. The advantage of doing this tour on an organised tour instead of visiting these places on your own is clear: you will put everything you see into context.

This tour is offered in English and includes entrance fees to the synagogues visited during the activity.

• Recommended if you like history and are particularly interested in learning more about the Jewish people and their historical trajectory.

Guided tours of the Jewish Quarter start from 44 euros if you book online and include a professional, accredited guide who will take you on a tour of the most important sites in the Jewish Quarter.

The itinerary includes entrance to the historic Jewish cemetery and the 6 remaining synagogues in the Jewish Quarter that form the Jewish Museum. They can all be visited on the same tour except for the Old-New Synagogue, which has a separate entrance fee.

Ofcourse. The Jewish quarter has a lot of history and it is essential to know it if you want to discover Prague, as the city and the quarter are intimately linked. Several historical events took place here and there are many legends and curiosities of the Jewish Quarter that you might miss if you visit it on your own.

The guides are professionally accredited and have specialised studies in Jewish culture and history. Their explanations will give you a totally different and more interesting perspective than you would get if you visit on your own.

The Old Jewish Quarter is located in the northern part of the Old City. Getting there is quite easy as there are several transport options. For reference, the Jewish cemetery is only a 5-minute walk from the central Old Town Square. The other options for getting there by public transport are:

• By metro: Take the A line and get off at the Staromestska stop, which is the nearest one.
• By tram: Lines 17 and 18 stop nearby at Staromestska.
• By Bus: Bus 207 and 194 also stop at Staromestska near the Jewish Quarter.
• By Car: You can go by car by putting Široká, 110 00 Josefov in the Gps but parking in the area is difficult. Alternatively, you can take a taxi or Uber.

Although it is not the best itinerary for children, as the history of the Jewish quarter is related to the Holocaust and other dark events, they can still do the tour perfectly well. Whenever there are little ones on the tour, the guides adapt their explanations to them to make them more enjoyable and understandable. In fact, admission to the synagogues in the Jewish Quarter is free for children under the age of 6, and children under the age of 15 get a discount.

All the basics of the Jewish Quarter are included in the tour. But in order for you to know more in depth what you will see, here is a summary of the most important points of the Jewish Quarter:

• Jewish Cemetery: This is the central point of the visit. The Jewish cemetery is one of the most unique cemeteries in the world because of its shape with hundreds of stacked tombstones and, above all, because of its history and legends. In this link you can discover all the secrets of the famous Jewish cemetery of Prague
• Pinkas Synagogue: This is the synagogue which gives access to the cemetery and inside it you can find the longest epitaph in the world. Its walls are covered with the names of some 80.000 Jews who lost their lives in the Holocaust.
• Spanish Synagogue: So called because of its Moorish decoration similar to that found in the Alhambra in Granada, it is considered to be the most impressive of all the synagogues in the Jewish Quarter.
• Klausen Synagogue: This synagogue adjoins the cemetery and its main attraction is its library, which contains several copies of valuable Hebrew books. It also houses exhibitions on Jewish customs and traditions.
• Maisel Synagogue: On the outside it is a simple building, but inside it houses a collection of objects typical of Jewish tradition and of great historical value. It was originally built as a private synagogue for Mordecai Maisel, mayor of the autonomous part of the Jewish quarter at the end of the 16th century.
• High Synagogue: Thissynagogue is so called because of its Renaissance style, which tends towards the top and is the only synagogue with two floors. For a time, it was part of the Jewish quarter's town hall.

In addition to the synagogues included in the tour, the synagogue known as the Old-New Synagogue can also be visited. This is the oldest active synagogue in Europe and, according to legend, the home of the Prague Golem.

The origins of Prague's Jewish quarter date back to the 10th century when the first Jews arrived. Soon after their settlement, the first crusade of the Catholic Church took place, which resulted in the marginalisation of non-believers. The Jewish population was forced to settle in what was known as the old quarter, which became the Jewish quarter. Forbidden to travel and move outside the Old Town, the Jews were forced to establish their own rules within that part of Prague.

It was as early as 1270 that they built the first synagogue, now known as the Old-New Synagogue, and in 1292 they were officially granted administrative independence. As the years went by, the quarter prospered and its population increased substantially until it became one of the most important Jewish quarters in Europe. However, even with the repression and limitations imposed on them. It was not until 1850 that the city of Prague began to open up to this quarter. It changed its name to the Josefov quarter as a tribute to Joseph II who, under his rule, began to integrate the Jewish people into the city.

It was the beginning of a more open era in which Jews began to be allowed to move to other neighbourhoods and worked towards a more tolerant environment for religious beliefs. Only the most orthodox and those with the least resources remained in the neighbourhood, which marked the beginning of the end of the Jewish quarter as it was known. This was not the end of the repression, as during the Second World War many Jews from Prague were victims of the Holocaust and were taken to concentration camps such as Terezín, which can be visited from the Czech capital.

What is known today as the Jewish quarter are the remaining synagogues, which are part of the Jewish museum and the famous Jewish cemetery.

The duration of these tours is 2.5 to 3 hours. This is more than enough time to see all the interesting sights of the quarter in detail. You will spend about 20 minutes at each of the synagogues on the itinerary and an extra half hour visiting the Jewish cemetery.

The guided tours usually start in the morning a little later than the opening hours of the monuments. The synagogues and the cemetery open their doors to visitors at 9:00 and the tours start around 10:00. If there is anything you would like to revisit after the tour you should know that in the winter timetable (October to March) they close their doors at 16:30 and in the summer months both the cemetery and the synagogues remain open until 18:00.

As the tour lasts about 3 hours, you will have plenty of time in the afternoon to continue exploring Prague. Please note that the cemetery is closed on Saturdays, or Sabbaths, as this is a Jewish holy day. On Jewish holidays they are also closed.

• There is no specific dress code for visiting synagogues but as they are religious sites it is recommended that you dress more or less correctly. This includes not wearing sports clothes or very short clothes as a sign of respect for Jewish traditions.
• There is not a lot of walking on the tour as all the synagogues and the cemetery are in close proximity, but you will spend several hours on your feet so it is important to wear comfortable shoes.
• The cemetery and Jewish Quarter is one of the most visited places in Prague, so it's a good idea to book your tour or tickets in advance so you don't miss out.
• If you have to choose the best time to visit the Jewish Quarter is at the beginning of the week, as it is closed on Saturdays and there are more visitors at the end of the week, and in the spring months as the temperatures are pleasant and it is not as crowded as in summer.
• If you choose to take a tour, it is recommended that you arrive at the meeting point at least 15 minutes before the tour starts.