Jewish Museum in Prague

The Jewish Museum founded in 1906 is the largest of its kind in Europe and contains a huge collection of sacred Jewish artefacts. The exhibitions of the Jewish Museum in Prague are located in six historic sites. The Old-New Synagogue (Straronova synagoga) is still used for religious services but the others are converted into memorials and exhibition halls. The Old-New Synagogues name represents the change from being a new, modern building to now the oldest synagogue in Josefov. The Old-New Synagogue is also Europe's oldest synagogue still in use and the centre for Prague's Orthodox Jews. Above the entrance there is an elaborate tympanum covered in the twisting branches of a vine tree, its twelve bunches of grapes representing the tribes of Israel. Inside the pulpit is surrounded by a 15th century wrought-iron grill and on the walls there are scriptures from the 7th century recovered from a later 'restoration'. It is hard to take in this view without feeling you have been transported back in time to this place 500 years ago. Full adult tickets cost 500CZK, or you can buy a single ticket for the Old-New Synagogue for 200CZK). The museum is closed on Jewish holidays otherwise it is open from 9am.

Other Jewish Museum sights in Prague are (all parts of Jewish Museum) :

Jewish Cemetery - Europe's oldest surviving cemetery

High Synagogue - High because its prayer hall is upstairs

Klaus Synagogue - Close to Jewish cemetery

Pinkas Synagogue - After WW2 converted to memorial

Spanish Synagogue - Exhibit on Jews in Czech R. until present day

Jewish Town Hall - Built in 1906, worth seeing