Strolling through Jewish history
The well-known Old-New Synagogue, Europe’s oldest existing synagogue, is located on the chic street of Pařížská. This place of worship, dating back to the mid 13th century, is still in use today. The jagged brickwork of its façade is a typical example of early Gothic style. Original ornamentation can also be found inside, such as the ornate wrought iron chandeliers. An interesting detail is the red flag with gold embroidered Star of David which adorns the western pillar. Emperor Ferdinand III presented this flag to Prague’s Jewish people at the end of the 17th century. Alongside the Old-New Synagogue stands the elegant Jewish Town Hall which was built in 1586. Like many other monuments in Josefov, the town hall was built by Mordechai Maisel, one of 16th-century Prague’s richest men. Interesting features include the two clocks on its façade, the higher of which has Roman numerals, while the lower has Hebrew numerals and the hands turn anti-clockwise. The Town Hall contains a kosher restaurant which is open for lunch from 11:30 am - 2:00 pm and is recommended if you would like to sample authentic Jewish-Czech cuisine. On the other side of the street is the Old Jewish Cemetery which was in use from 1478-1786. Thousands of gravestones are crammed in so close together that they seem to be leaning on each other. This mysterious place speaks volumes about Jewish history in Prague. Around 100,000 Jewish people are thought to be buried here. Because it was forbidden to expand the cemetery, the graves were dug in 12 layers. The most famous grave is that of Judah Loew ben Bezalel, also known as the Maharal of Prague.
Statue of Franz Kafka
The home of Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka (1883-1924) spent most of his life in Josefov. The Kafka family lived at number 27 Dušní and a bronze statue just a few metres away serves as a reminder of the famous author. The statue’s sculptor, Jaroslav Róna, wanted to depict the short story Description of a Struggle, in which a friendly conversation between the narrator and an acquaintance turns into a fight. Kafka’s tale is set largely on the banks of the Vltava River and the writer himself can be recognised on the shoulders of the story’s mysterious and headless black figure.
