Prague Jewish Quarter

Josefov, the old Jewish quarter of Prague, holds one of the most important and moving collections of Jewish heritage in Europe: a cluster of ancient synagogues, from the Gothic Old-New Synagogue still in use after seven centuries to the Spanish Synagogue's golden interior, and the Old Jewish Cemetery, where twelve thousand tumbled tombstones crowd a small plot of layered graves.

What you actually see

• The Old Jewish Cemetery - the haunting plot of thousands of leaning, layered tombstones.
• The Old-New Synagogue - the Gothic synagogue, in use for over seven hundred years.
• The Spanish Synagogue - the dazzling Moorish-style golden interior.
• The memorial synagogue - the walls inscribed with the names of Holocaust victims.

When to go

Year-round; a fully indoor set of sights, though closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays. A combined ticket covers the museum synagogues and cemetery.

Honest expectations

It is a sombre, moving place tied to a long and painful history, not a light sightseeing stop. The sites are seen on a combined ticket and can be busy. It is closed on the Jewish sabbath and holidays, so check before visiting.

Nearby

The old town square and the river are a short walk in central Prague.