Prague Jewish Quarter

The Prague Jewish Quarter, also known as the Josefov, i a fascinating place and has vital cultural importance. The Josefov began to grow just over a thousand years ago and had enormous significance for Prague’s thriving Jewish community. For centuries, it was the heart of Jewish commerce, religious life, culture and learning. The Prague Jewish quarter was the birthplace of famous writer Franz Kafka and home to luminaries like Rabbi Loew the Maharal of Prague.
Most of the medieval Josefov was demolished just over a hundred years ago by town planners who wanted to remodel Prague on Paris! The 21st century Jewish quarter in Prague is vastly reduced in size, but it still gives visitors a unique insight into the lives of centuries of Czech Jews. The best way to explore the Prague Jewish quarter is on foot. The Jewish Quarter has: six synagogues, including the Spanish Synagogue, Maisel Synagogue and the Old-New Synagogue; the Jewish Ceremonial Hall; and the remarkable Old Jewish Cemetery.