The Old-New Synagogue, Prague, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The Old-New Synagogue (Staronová synagoga) in Prague's Josefov quarter is the oldest active synagogue in Europe, a Gothic building from the 13th century that has served the Jewish community for centuries. It is also the home of the Golem legend, the tale of a clay giant said to rest in its attic.

The story behind it

The synagogue stands at the heart of the old Jewish Town, which was walled off from the rest of Prague for centuries. By the late 19th century the district was overcrowded and in poor sanitary condition. Slum clearance began in the 1890s, and hundreds of old houses were torn down and replaced by the buildings along today's streets. The synagogue survived, along with the Old Jewish Cemetery and the Jewish Town Hall next door.

Its fame rests on the legend of the Golem. The Hebrew word means something like shapeless form, and tales of mud figures brought to life are much older than Prague. In the Prague version, Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel shaped a man from river mud and animated him with Kabbalistic teachings, so that he could protect the persecuted Jews of the city. The Golem grew too strong and could not be controlled, so the rabbi removed the magic that gave him life and laid him to rest in the synagogue attic, to be woken if he is needed again. It is a legend, not recorded history, but it is why visitors look up at the roof.

The neighbourhood has literary history too. Franz Kafka organised an evening of Yiddish recitations in the Jewish Town Hall with his friend Yitzhak Löwy, and opened it with a short talk on the Yiddish language.

What to look for

• The steep brick gable of the roof, with its stepped decoration, is the part of the exterior that most distinguishes the building from its neighbours.
• The Jewish Town Hall beside the synagogue has two clocks. The smaller one on the Hebrew tower has Hebrew letters instead of numbers, and its hands run counterclockwise, following the direction in which Hebrew is read.
• Look up toward the attic to picture the spot where the Golem is said to lie.
• From the street you have a view toward the walls of the Old Jewish Cemetery, which sits close by.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 20 to 30 minutes for the synagogue itself, and more if you also want to see the cemetery and the other sites of Josefov.
• It is a working place of worship, so check current opening hours, expect it to close on the Sabbath and Jewish holidays, and dress modestly.
• Early morning is usually the quietest time, before the tour groups reach the quarter.
• The Old Town Square and the Vltava embankment are a short walk away, so it fits easily into a day on foot.

See it on a quest

Prague Old Town: Alchemy and Dark Arts suits a place where mud, mysticism and magic meet. You reach the synagogue on foot as one stop on a longer route through the Old Town, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.

Franz Kafka's Prague: Literary Tour follows the writer's city, and the Jewish Quarter is part of his story. You walk between the places, hear about each one in the app, and work out a puzzle in what is in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

The Lost Gold of Prague is a treasure-themed way to cover the old streets. You get to each stop on foot, the app explains what you are looking at, and a puzzle waits at the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.