Six synagogues, the Old Jewish Cemetery, tickets, opening hours, guided tours & everything you need to visit properly
Josefov is one of the most historically significant areas in all of Europe — a few hundred metres of narrow streets that contain six centuries of Jewish history, six surviving synagogues, and a cemetery so layered with the weight of the past that most visitors instinctively lower their voices when they enter. It sits immediately north of Old Town Square, and yet most visitors rush past it on the way to Charles Bridge without understanding what they are walking through. This guide makes sure you do not make that mistake.
What’s in This Guide
A Brief History of Josefov
Jews have lived in Prague since at least the 10th century, making it one of the oldest continuous Jewish communities in Europe. For most of that time they were confined to a walled ghetto in what is now Josefov — a small, densely populated enclave in the northern part of Old Town where Prague’s Jewish residents were required to live, forbidden from owning property elsewhere in the city, and subjected to periodic pogroms and expulsions at the whim of Czech rulers and the Church.
The ghetto reached its peak population of around 12,000 people in the 17th century under Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel — the famous Maharal of Prague, associated with the legend of the Golem, the clay guardian he is said to have created to protect the community. Emperor Joseph II partially emancipated Prague’s Jews in 1781, abolishing many of the ghetto’s restrictions. In his honour, the neighbourhood was renamed Josefov.
The old ghetto was almost entirely demolished between 1893 and 1913 as part of a city sanitation project. The narrow medieval lanes and overcrowded tenements were replaced by the elegant Art Nouveau boulevards — particularly Pařížská Street — that you see today. Six synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery survived the demolition, preserved by the Jewish community. Paradoxically, the buildings also survived the Nazi occupation of 1939–1945: Hitler reportedly planned to turn the quarter into a “museum of an extinct race,” which meant the buildings and their contents were preserved even as the community itself was being destroyed. Of Prague’s 56,000 Jewish residents in 1939, fewer than 10,000 survived the war.
Today Josefov is administered by the Jewish Museum in Prague, which manages six synagogues and the cemetery as a single cultural institution — one of the most important collections of Judaica in the world.
The Jewish Museum in Prague manages access to all six synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery under a single ticket system. The Old-New Synagogue (still an active place of worship) is sold separately. Everything else is covered by the main Jewish Museum ticket.
| Ticket Type | Price (Adult) | Price (Child/Student) | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Circuit (A) | CZK 620 (~€25) | CZK 440 (~€18) | All 5 Jewish Museum sites + cemetery |
| Reduced Circuit (B) | CZK 420 (~€17) | CZK 300 (~€12) | 3 selected sites (no cemetery) |
| Old-New Synagogue | CZK 280 (~€11) | CZK 200 (~€8) | Old-New Synagogue only (separate ticket) |
| Full Circuit + Old-New Synagogue | CZK 900 (~€36) | CZK 640 (~€26) | Everything — all 6 synagogues + cemetery |
| Go City Prague Pass | From €49/day | Child rates available | Jewish Quarter + 30 other attractions |
- Skip the ticket queue — buy online and go straight to the entrance
- Tiqets — Prague Jewish Quarter tickets · skip-the-line entry · instant confirmation
- Tiqets — Prague Jewish Quarter guided walking tour · expert local guide included
- Go City Prague Pass — Jewish Quarter + Prague Castle + 30 more attractions
- Tiqets — Historical sites in Prague · tickets & guided tours
A guided tour of the Jewish Quarter is genuinely worth the extra cost here. The history is layered, the context is deep, and a good guide brings the individual buildings and the community’s story together in a way that is very difficult to achieve reading panels alone. Most tours run 2–2.5 hours and include all entry fees.
Opening Hours & Best Time to Visit
| Season | Opening Hours | Closed |
|---|---|---|
| April – October | Sunday – Friday: 9 AM – 6 PM | Saturday (Shabbat) & Jewish holidays |
| November – March | Sunday – Friday: 9 AM – 4:30 PM | Saturday (Shabbat) & Jewish holidays |
| Old-New Synagogue | Sunday – Thursday: 9 AM – 6 PM · Friday: 9 AM – 5 PM (summer) / 9 AM – 4 PM (winter) | Saturday & Jewish holidays |
Important: The entire Jewish Quarter is closed on Saturday (Shabbat) and on all major Jewish holidays — Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover, Sukkot and others. Check the Jewish Museum website for the exact holiday closure schedule before planning your visit, particularly if travelling in September or October when several major holidays fall.
Best Time of Day to Visit
Arrive at 9 AM when the gates open. This is the single most important timing advice for Josefov. Tour groups typically arrive from 10 AM onwards and the cemetery in particular becomes very crowded by mid-morning. The hour between 9 and 10 AM is quieter, the light is better for photography, and the atmosphere is more intimate and reflective — which is precisely what the Old Jewish Cemetery deserves.
Avoid visiting between 11 AM and 2 PM in summer — this is when Josefov is at its most crowded and the cemetery becomes difficult to navigate comfortably. If you cannot arrive early, late afternoon (4 PM onwards in summer) is the next best option as day-trippers and tour groups begin to leave.
The Old Jewish Cemetery is one of the most moving and haunting spaces in all of Prague — and one of the most important Jewish historical sites in Europe. Burials here date from 1439 to 1787, and because the cemetery could not be expanded beyond its original walls (the surrounding Christian city refused to grant more land), the dead were buried in layers directly on top of one another. Estimates suggest that up to 100,000 people lie beneath the ground here, with as many as 12 layers of burials in some areas.
The result is an extraordinary and unsettling landscape: thousands of tilted, weathered headstones crowding together at odd angles, pushed up and displaced by centuries of burials beneath them. Some stones lean against each other for support. Trees grow between them. The ground undulates unevenly. The density and compression of the space creates an overwhelming sense of lives accumulated — of a community that was given no room to exist in life and found it could barely contain its dead.
Many of the headstones are carved with symbols indicating the deceased’s profession or family name — a pair of hands raised in blessing for a Cohen (priest), a water jug for a Levi, a lion for the tribe of Judah. The most visited grave is that of Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel (the Maharal, died 1609) — the legendary creator of the Golem. Visitors leave small pebbles and folded notes on his tombstone, a Jewish tradition of remembrance.
The six synagogues of Josefov span six centuries of Jewish history and six very different architectural styles — from the severe medieval Gothic of the Old-New Synagogue to the exuberant Moorish Revival interior of the Spanish Synagogue. Each tells a different chapter of the same story. Here they are in the order most visitors find logical to visit.
The oldest surviving synagogue in Europe and one of the oldest Gothic buildings in Prague, built around 1270 and still functioning as an active place of Jewish worship — making it the oldest continuously operating synagogue in the world. The exterior is deliberately modest: a simple stepped gable, brick Gothic vaulting, no ornamentation to attract the hostility of the surrounding Christian city.
The interior is equally austere — red Gothic brick, a central bimah (reading platform) surrounded by an iron grille, and the medieval atmosphere of a space that has been in continuous religious use for 750 years. The famous attic above the prayer hall is said to contain the remains of the Golem created by Rabbi Loew — sealed there after it went on a rampage and was deactivated on a Friday evening. The attic is not open to visitors.
Accessed from the Pinkas Synagogue, the cemetery is described in full above. The Ceremonial Hall (Obřadní síň) adjacent to the cemetery entrance was built in 1906 by the Jewish Burial Society and now contains a permanent exhibition on Jewish traditions around illness, death and burial — sobering and informative context for the cemetery visit.
The second oldest synagogue in Prague and the most emotionally devastating space in Josefov. After the Second World War, the synagogue was converted into a memorial to the 77,297 Bohemian and Moravian Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Their names — every single one — are painted directly onto the whitewashed interior walls in small red and black lettering, organised by community. The names cover every surface: walls, arches, pillars. It takes time to understand what you are seeing.
The upper floor contains drawings made by children imprisoned in the Terezín concentration camp — 4,000 drawings in total, created by children during their imprisonment between 1942 and 1944. Most of the children who made them did not survive. The drawings are simple, often bright — houses, gardens, animals — which makes the context unbearable in a way that a more explicitly harrowing exhibition would not.
Built by Mordechai Maisel, the wealthy mayor of the Jewish ghetto and financier to Emperor Rudolf II, on land personally granted by the Emperor in recognition of Maisel’s financial support. The original Renaissance building was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in Neo-Gothic style in 1905. Today it houses a permanent exhibition on the history of Jews in Bohemia and Moravia from the 10th to the 18th century, including a remarkable collection of silver Judaica — Torah shields, pointers, spice boxes and menorahs — confiscated from Jewish communities across Bohemia by the Nazis and now preserved here.
Built in 1868 on the site of the oldest synagogue in Prague (the “Old School,” dating from the 12th century), the Spanish Synagogue is the most visually extraordinary building in Josefov. Its Moorish Revival interior — inspired by the Alhambra in Granada — is a riot of geometric stucco ornament, gilded detail, arabesque patterns and coloured tilework covering every surface from floor to ceiling. The contrast with the sombre simplicity of the Old-New Synagogue is startling.
The synagogue houses an exhibition on the history of Czech Jews in the 19th and 20th centuries, including the reform movement, the experience of emancipation and assimilation, and the events leading to the Holocaust. The exhibition continues in the adjacent Winter Synagogue (accessible from the gallery level), which covers the post-war period and the restoration of Jewish life in Czechoslovakia.
The largest Baroque synagogue in Josefov, built in 1694 adjacent to the Old Jewish Cemetery. Today it houses a permanent exhibition on Jewish traditions, customs and religious life — the Hebrew manuscript collection is notable, as is the collection of decorated Torah mantles and other religious textiles. A quieter and less crowded space than the Pinkas or Spanish Synagogues, and a good place to absorb the context of Jewish religious practice before or after the more emotionally intense experiences of the circuit.
- A guided tour brings the history to life in a way exhibition panels cannot match
- Tiqets — Prague Jewish Quarter guided walking tour · all entry fees included
- WeGoTrip — Self-guided audio tour of Prague · explore Josefov at your own pace
- Klook — Prague Jewish Quarter & Old Town small-group tours
- Tiqets — All things to do in Prague · tours, tickets & experiences
A WeGoTrip self-guided audio tour is ideal if you prefer to move at your own pace — you set the speed, pause when you want to, and can revisit any section. Works on your phone with headphones, no guide required.
Suggested Visit Order & How Long to Allow
The Jewish Museum does not prescribe a fixed visiting order — your ticket gives access to all sites and you move between them freely. However, the following sequence makes practical and emotional sense:
- Old-New Synagogue (9:00 AM) — Start here at opening time before tour groups arrive. The oldest building, the historical foundation, the quietest atmosphere of the morning.
- Maisel Synagogue (9:30 AM) — Historical exhibition on the ghetto’s formation and early history. Good context for everything that follows.
- Pinkas Synagogue + Old Jewish Cemetery (10:00 AM) — The emotional and historical heart of the visit. Allow at least 60–75 minutes for both. Do not rush.
- Ceremonial Hall (11:00 AM) — Brief but important. Jewish burial traditions and cemetery symbolism explained.
- Klaus Synagogue (11:20 AM) — Jewish religious life and customs. Quieter pace after the intensity of Pinkas and the cemetery.
- Spanish Synagogue (11:45 AM) — The most visually spectacular finish. The exhibition here covers the 19th and 20th centuries, bringing the story forward to the modern era.
Total time for the full circuit following this order: approximately 2.5–3 hours for a thorough visit, 2 hours at a faster pace.
Guided Tours & Self-Guided Options
A guided tour of the Jewish Quarter is one of the most worthwhile investments you can make in Prague. The history here is dense, layered and sometimes counter-intuitive — a good guide connects the individual buildings to the broader story of Prague’s Jewish community across six centuries in a way that reading exhibition panels alone rarely achieves.
What a Good Guided Tour Covers
- The legend of the Golem and Rabbi Loew — the most famous story to emerge from the Prague ghetto
- The specific history of each synagogue and what made each one built when it was
- The Nazi occupation and the paradox of why the buildings survived while the community did not
- The significance of the cemetery — how to read the headstone symbols and understand the layers of burial
- The post-war restoration of Jewish life in Prague and the present-day community
Self-Guided Options
If you prefer to explore independently, the Jewish Museum’s own audio guides are available for rent at the ticket offices. WeGoTrip’s self-guided audio tour option lets you use your own phone and headphones, which is more convenient for most visitors — you can pause, rewind and explore at your own pace without being tied to a group’s schedule.
- The Jewish Quarter + Prague Castle together cost over €60 in individual tickets — a city pass cuts this significantly
- Go City Prague Pass — Jewish Quarter + Castle + 30 attractions · from €49/day
- Tiqets — Prague City Passes · skip-the-line access to multiple attractions
- WeGoTrip — Self-guided Prague audio tours · Jewish Quarter & beyond
If your itinerary includes Prague Castle, the Jewish Quarter, Old Town Hall Tower and Petřín Tower, the Go City Prague Pass pays for itself before lunch on Day 2. Compare prices for your specific combination before buying individual tickets.
Getting to the Jewish Quarter
Josefov is in the northern part of Prague’s Old Town, immediately adjacent to Old Town Square. It is easily walkable from most central accommodation.
How to Get There
- On foot from Old Town Square — 3 minutes. Walk north from the Astronomical Clock along Pařížská Street (the main boulevard through Josefov) or take any of the parallel side streets.
- Metro Line A (green) — Exit at Staroměstská station. The cemetery and synagogues are a 5-minute walk north-east from the station exit.
- Tram — Lines 2, 17 and 18 stop at Staroměstská on the Vltava embankment, a 5-minute walk from the Jewish Quarter entrance.
- From Prague Castle — Take Tram 22 down to Malostranská, cross Charles Bridge on foot into Old Town, then walk 10 minutes north to Josefov. Or take Metro Line A from Malostranská to Staroměstská (1 stop, 2 minutes).
What’s Nearby — Combining Josefov With Other Sights
Josefov’s location makes it easy to combine with the other major attractions of Prague’s historic centre. Here is how it fits into a logical visit:
- Old Town Square & Astronomical Clock — 3 min walk south. The natural pairing with Josefov — visit the Jewish Quarter first in the morning, then Old Town Square as the city wakes up. Read our One Day in Prague guide for a tight itinerary combining both.
- Charles Bridge — 10 min walk south-west. Cross it after the Jewish Quarter and Old Town Square for the afternoon. Read our Charles Bridge guide.
- Prague Castle — Best saved for a separate half-day. The two sites together in one day is too much to absorb properly. Visit Josefov in the morning and the castle on a different day. Read our Prague Castle complete guide.
- Pařížská Street — The elegant Art Nouveau boulevard running through Josefov to the Vltava. Prague’s most luxurious shopping street, lined with international fashion houses. Worth a stroll after the intensity of the museum circuit.
- Best Restaurants near Josefov — Lokál Dlouhá (Old Town, 5 min walk) for the best traditional Czech lunch near the area. See our Prague restaurant guide for more options.
- Old Town and Malá Strana hotels put Josefov within a 5–10 minute walk
- Trip.com — Hotels near Old Town Square & the Jewish Quarter
- Expedia — Compare Prague hotel prices & bundle with flights
- VRBO — Apartments & holiday rentals in Prague Old Town
Staying in Prague 1 (Old Town) puts the Jewish Quarter, Charles Bridge, the Astronomical Clock and the Old Town Square restaurants all within a 10-minute walk in any direction. Recommended for first-time visitors.
Practical Tips for Visiting Josefov
Everything You Need to Know Before You Go
- Buy tickets online — queues at the ticket office reach 30–45 minutes in summer. Online tickets are the same price. Buy them the evening before at the latest.
- Dress code — modest dress is appreciated throughout. Men are provided with a paper kippah at the Old-New Synagogue entrance; wearing it is required inside.
- Photography — permitted in most areas but without flash. The Pinkas Synagogue specifically asks visitors to be respectful with cameras given the memorial nature of the space.
- Closed on Saturday — the entire Jewish Quarter is closed every Saturday (Shabbat) and on Jewish holidays. Check dates carefully if travelling in September–October.
- Language — exhibition texts are in Czech and English throughout. Audio guides available in multiple languages at the ticket offices.
- Accessibility — most synagogues have step-free access or ramps. The Old Jewish Cemetery has uneven ground throughout — not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs.
- Children — the Pinkas Synagogue memorial and Holocaust exhibitions contain content that is appropriate for older children (10+) but may require parental guidance for younger visitors. The Spanish Synagogue is the most visually engaging for children of all ages.
- Luggage — large bags must be left at the cloakroom at the first site you visit. Plan for this if arriving directly from the airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
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