The Jewish Quarter in Prague is the best place to experience the culture of Jews and how they have lived over the years.
With time, the Joseph Jewish Quarter Prague has endured several structural changes, but it still stands as testimony to the lived history and persecution of Jews over the centuries.
This article covers everything you must know before booking tickets to the Jewish Quarter in Prague.
Top Jewish Quarter, Prague Tickets
# Guided tour of Jewish Quarter
# Prague: Castle and Jewish Quarter Tour with Cruise and Lunch
# Private guided tour of Jewish Quarter
Table of contents
What to expect at Prague Jewish Quarter
The Jewish Quarter’s storied past began in the thirteenth century when Jewish inhabitants were told to leave their houses and settle in one location.
The number of individuals living in the quarter increased over the ages as Jews were forbidden from residing anyplace else in Prague and as additional people driven out of Moravia, Germany, Austria, and Spain joined them.
Be led by an expert guide to understand the 1000-year history of the Prague and Bohemian Jews.
Visit the Old cemetery, which dates back to the 15th century, and find yourself amidst a maze of crooked tombstones, with layers upon layers of graves due to lack of space.
See the Jewish Museum, which provides a deep insight into the customs, traditions, and struggles of the Jewish people in Prague.
Originally built in the sixteenth century, the Pinkas Synagogue serves as a memorial for the Czech Jewish victims of the Holocaust.
The Spanish Synagogue is an exquisite masterpiece of Moorish Revival Architecture, while the 17th-century Klaasen Synagogue exhibits a collection of Jewish silver artifacts, textiles, and historical documents.
| Jewish Quarter Tours | Ticket Price |
| Prague: Jewish Quarter Walking Tour with Admission Tickets | €44 |
| Prague: Castle and Jewish Quarter Tour with Cruise and Lunch | €74 |
| Prague: 3-Hour Private Jewish Quarter Tour | €150 for 2 |
Where to book tickets
Tickets for Jewish Quarter Tours are available online and at the offices of various touring agencies.
Online ticket prices tend to be cheaper than tickets at the attraction.
When you buy online, you can avoid the hassle of travelling between various touring agencies to select the best package.
Because some tours sell a limited number of tickets, booking early helps avoid last-minute disappointments.
How do online tickets work
Visit the booking page for Jewish Quarter in Prague, select your travel date and the number of tickets, and make the booking.
Once you complete the booking process, the tickets will be mailed to you.
You do not need to carry printouts.
Show the e-ticket on your smartphone at the entrance and walk in.
Please carry a valid ID.
Jewish Quarter Ticket Prices
For Prague: Jewish Quarter Walking Tour with Admission Tickets, an adult ticket for all ages above 16 costs €44.
Children between the ages of four and 15 pay €40 for entry, while kids under four are charged €34.
For Prague: Castle and Jewish Quarter Tour with Cruise and Lunch, an adult ticket for all ages above 19 is priced at €74.
Youths between 15 and 18 years of age are charged €62 for the tour.
Tickets for kids between three and 14 cost €41, while infants up to two years of age are not charged anything.
For Prague: 3-Hour Private Jewish Quarter Tour, a group of people are charged €150 for the tour, while a group of up to six people can participate at the cost of €180.
Jewish Quarter Tickets
There is a range of different Jewish Quarter Tours with different prices and itineraries for you to select from:
Guided tour of Jewish Quarter
This visit is a complete tour of the Joseph Jewish Quarter Prague, where you can experience the culture and history of the Jews who have lived here for centuries.
It lets you explore the entire grounds of the Jewish Quarter, including the Synagogues and the Jewish Cemetery.
This tour will be led by a guide and will last for 2.5 hours.
You can select the language of the guided tour from six languages: English, Czech, French, German, Italian, or Spanish.
Your ticket will include entry to the Cemetry, Pinkas, Klausen, and Maisen Synagogues.
Admission to the Old-New Synagogue is not included in this tour.
Ticket Prices
Adult ticket (16+ years): €44
Youth ticket (4 to 15 years): €40
Child ticket (1 to 3 years): €34
Prague: Castle and Jewish Quarter Tour with Cruise and Lunch
With tickets to this tour, you get to see Prague’s top attractions from land and water over a comprehensive six-hour tour.
This tour is a popular choice among tourists who don’t have much time or are in Prague on a short holiday.
During this six-hour guided tour, you will explore the city on foot, by riverboat, and by tram.
The highlights of this tour are your visit to the Old Town, Jewish Quarter, New Town, and the Prague Castle complex.
The tour will then take a lunch break, and the expedition will finish with a relaxing cruise down the Vltava River.
The boat ride will last an hour and include a welcome drink.
Ticket Price
Adult Ticket (19+ years): €74
Youth Ticket (15 to 18 years): €62
Child Ticket (3 to 14 years): €41
Infants (up to 2 years): Free
Private guided tour of Jewish Quarter
The tickets to this tour give you a 3-hour private tour of the Jewish Quarter.
This tour also includes a pickup and drop from your hotel in Prague.
You will visit all the synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery.
On the ticket booking page, you can choose two starting times – 9 am and 1 pm.
Meeting Point: Meet your guide in front of the Cartier shop. They will be holding a sign with your name on it. Get Directions.
Ticket Prices
Group of 2: €150
Group of up to 6: €180
How to get there
Since the Joseph Jewish Quarter is near Old Town Square and the Vltava River, it has the advantage of being close to various tourist places.
Joseph Jewish Quarter’s formal address is – The Jewish Quarter, Josefov, Prague 1, Czech Republic. Get Directions
The Jewish Quarter is easily accessible by public transportation.
By Bus
Bus numbers 194 and 207 stop at Staromestska Metro station, a three-minute walk from the Jewish Quarter.
Bus 194 also makes a stop at U Staré školy, which is next to the Spanish Synagogue.
By Train
Tram numbers 2, 17, and 18 can also help you get to the Jewish Quarter in Prague.
These Trams stop at Staromestska Metro station, which, as already mentioned, is a three-minute walk away from the Jewish Quarter.
Get onto any Line A train and get off at the Staromestska Metro station, just a six-minute walk away from the Jewish Quarter.
By Car
Rental cars and taxis are easily available in Prague.
Put on Google Maps and navigate to the Jewish Quarter yourself.
However, we do not recommend this option because you will not be able to find parking near the city center and will have to leave your car away at a considerable distance.
On Foot
If you’re near the Old Town or at the Charles Bridge, the best option for you is to walk to the Jewish Quarter.
The Joseph Jewish Quarter is a five-minute walk from Old Town Square and a 10-minute walk from the Charles Bridge.
Jewish Quarter hours
There are two main attractions in the Jewish Quarter, Prague – the Jewish Museum and the Old-New Synagogue.
From Sunday to Friday, the Jewish Museum opens at 9 am. During the peak tourist season of April to October, the museum closes at 6 pm, and during the rest of the year, it closes at 4.30 pm.
The Jewish Museum remains closed on Saturday.
From Sunday to Friday, the Old-New Synagogue opens at 9 am. From April to October, the Synagogue closes at 6 pm, and during the rest of the year, it closes at 5 pm.
The Old-New Synagogue has an alternate schedule for Fridays – it closes an hour before the Sabbath. It remains closed on Saturday.
The Jewish Museum and the Old-New Synagogue are also closed on Jewish holidays.
Detailed information on the Jewish holidays and the Sabbath’s timing can be found on the museum website.
Self-tour vs guided tour
Visitors to the Jewish Quarter Prague have one question on their mind – should they walk around and explore it on their own, or should they book a guide?
The Jewish Quarter of Prague can get confusing for the most seasoned of travelers.
That’s because there are so many different buildings, monuments, and historical attractions that combine to become what is known as the Jewish Quarter of Prague.
One good thing is that the Jewish Quarter is a small area, and all the attractions are within walking distance of each other. Some even as close as 100 meters.
As a result, you can go on a walking tour of the Jewish Quarter in Prague yourself.
However, we don’t recommend that.
Jewish Quarter Prague reveals the 1000-year history of the Prague Jews.
If you don’t get the stories and anecdotes right, you won’t get the full impact of what has happened in the Jewish ghetto over the centuries.
That’s why we recommend you book this guided tour of the Jewish Quarter Prague.
A certified local guide can show you the World’s most well-preserved Jewish dwelling place in the best possible light.
What to see in the Jewish Museum
Numerous Jewish Quarter sites narrate the persecution of Jews over the centuries.
With the exception of the Old-New Synagogue, the most important historical structures from the Jewish Quarter make up the Jewish Museum in Prague.
Ironically, a lot of credit for the Jewish Museum Prague must go to Hitler.
He wanted to create a memoir for the race he thought was going to become extinct.
He ordered that Jewish exhibits that survived the destruction of the Jewish communities in Bohemia and Moravia be collected and put on display.
The below-mentioned monuments add up to become what is collectively known as the Jewish Museum.
Old Jewish Cemetery
Housing around 12,000 gravestones and even more graves, this Jewish Quarter Cemetery is the oldest surviving Jewish burial ground globally.
This cemetery was in operation from the first half of the 15th century to the second half of the 18th century.
It was declared a National Cultural Heritage in 1995.
Maisel Synagogue
The Maisel Synagogue was built in 1592, making it one of the oldest synagogues in the Jewish Quarter.
It displays the history of Jews in Bohemia and Moravia from the 10th century to their emancipation in the 18th century.
The Spanish Synagogue
The Spanish Synagogue is one of the most popular synagogues in the Jewish Quarter and was built in 1868.
Its name was inspired by its Moorish design.
It exhibits the history of the Moravian and Czech Jews from the 18th century until today.
Pinkas Synagogue
After the Old-New Synagogue, Pinkas Synagogue is the oldest one.
It got built around 1535.
The Pinkas Synagogue is the result of the work and contributions of the Horowitz family.
After the Nazis lost the Second World War, this synagogue was turned into a memorial for the Jews killed by the Nazis.
Around 80,000 names are inscribed on the walls of this Synagogue.
Klausen Synagogue
The Klausen Synagogue was built in 1694 and is at the entrance to the Old Jewish Cemetery.
It is the largest synagogue in the former Prague Jewish ghetto.
During its heydays, it was the seat of the Prague Burial Society.
Today it hosts a permanent exhibition titled ‘Jewish Customs and Traditions’.
The Jewish Ceremonial Hall
Jewish Ceremonial Hall holds exceptional cultural and spiritual importance.
Continuing from Klausen Synagogue, the Ceremonial Hall hosts the second part of the exhibition ‘Jewish Customs and Traditions’.
Robert Guttmann Gallery
The Robert Guttmann Gallery is named after the Prague painter of the same name.
It presents temporary exhibitions on Jewish life, the persecution of Bohemian and Moravian Jews, Jewish monuments, and contemporary Jewish visual art.
What’s not part of the Jewish Museum?
The only significant monument in the Jewish Quarter that isn’t part of the Jewish Museum is the Old-New Synagogue.
Its construction was completed in 1270 in the Gothic style, making it the first Gothic building in Prague.
You need a separate ticket to enter this Synagogue.
Yet another tourist attraction not to be missed while in the Jewish Quarter is the Franz Kafka Monument.
It is a 3.75-meter-tall (12-foot) statue of the famous German-speaking Jewish writer Franz Kafka.
Dress code at Jewish Quarter
While entering the Old Jewish Cemetery, men must cover their heads.
Skullcaps are available at the Museum, or you can buy one at the entrance of the Old Jewish cemetery.
Women are exempt from covering their heads.
The tourists are free to bring their head covers as well.
Jewish Quarter Prague map
As a tourist, carrying a map around with you is always sensible.
A map of the Jewish Quarter Prague will not only help you explore the tourist destination better, but it will also help you save time.
Ensure that you have at least a simple, well-defined map of the place before starting your tour. Map of Jewish Quarter
However, the best way to explore the Jewish Quarter is by taking the help of a local guide.
Jewish Quarter Prague history
The Jewish Quarter of Prague stands as a memory of the miserable conditions the Jews have had to endure for centuries.
It calls the world’s attention to the unfair society that slowly helped form such a magnificent part of the city admired by millions today.
In the 20th Century, when Hitler declared Jews as an ‘extinct’ race, the Jewish Quarter welcomed new changes to preserve the history and culture of those who resided there.
Many new sites were constructed by the Nazis, including the Jewish Museum, which houses the collective artifacts of the destroyed slums of the Jews.
The Jewish Quarter endured constant changes, with many buildings broken to the ground and rebuilt, disregarding the comfort of the inhabitants.
The last known changes to the Quarter were made between 1893 and 1913.
FAQs about the Jewish Quarter in Prague
Here are a few frequently asked questions about the Jewish Quarter in Prague:
The Jewish Quarter is locally called Josefov and is represented by the flag of Prague’s Jewish community, a yellow Magen David (Star of David) on a red field.
The displacement of Jews into cramped quarters or ghettos has been part of a broader pattern of discrimination against Jews for centuries in Europe. The anti-Semitic feeling was fuelled by deeply held religious convictions, such as decide (God-killing) allegations and religious disagreements. Economic rivalry was a factor as well because Jews were frequently involved in moneylending, which bred animosity.
The Jewish Quarter has six synagogues, including the Spanish Synagogue, Maisel Synagogue, and the Old-New Synagogue; the Jewish Ceremonial Hall; and the most remarkable, the Old Jewish Cemetery.
The most significant historical monuments in the Jewish Quarter, all except the Old-New Synagogue, form the Jewish Museum in Prague.
You can book a guided tour in advance on the Jewish Quarter online ticketing portal.
Sources
# Theculturetrip.com
# Praguego.com
# Wikipedia.org
# Praguetouristinformation.com
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