Josefov is Prague's former Jewish Quarter, tucked inside the Old Town and one of the best-preserved Jewish heritage districts in Europe, protected as part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Centre of Prague. Its synagogues and cemetery form the visitor circuit of the Jewish Museum in Prague (founded 1906, the third-oldest Jewish museum in the world), which marks its 120th anniversary in 2026. The route links the Maisel, Pinkas, Spanish and Klausen synagogues, the Old-New Synagogue (c. 1270, the oldest continuously active synagogue in Europe), and the haunting Old Jewish Cemetery associated with the Golem legend and Rabbi Loew. It is best approached less as sightseeing and more as a place of remembrance for Central European Jewish history and the Holocaust.
Old Jewish Cemetery — around 12,000 gravestones stacked in layers dating back to 1439, including the tomb of Rabbi Loew (the Maharal) of Golem legend
Pinkas Synagogue — walls inscribed with the names of roughly 80,000 Bohemian and Moravian Holocaust victims, with children's drawings from the Terezín ghetto upstairs
Old-New Synagogue (Staronová synagoga) — a Gothic structure from c. 1270, Europe's oldest still-active synagogue, included in the combined ticket since 2024
Spanish Synagogue — an opulent Moorish-Revival interior from 1868, widely considered the most beautiful building in the quarter
Maisel Synagogue and the Ceremonial Hall — permanent exhibitions on a thousand years of Prague's Jewish community and its burial and daily customs
Good to know
RulesThe entire quarter closes on Saturdays (Shabbat) and Jewish holidays. In 2026 the closure dates are 2-3 and 8-9 April, 22 May, 13/21/27 September and 4 October, so check the calendar carefully if you travel in autumn.
MannersModest dress with covered shoulders is expected inside the synagogues, and men must cover their heads with a kippah (provided free). The Old-New Synagogue in particular remains an active house of worship.
MannersThe Old Jewish Cemetery and Pinkas Synagogue are sites of mourning. Keep your voice down, avoid posed photos, and never step between or onto the gravestones.
CautionPickpockets work the crowded Old Town, trams and cemetery entrance. Wear your bag in front, and buy tickets on the official website rather than from street touts or marked-up 'on-the-spot' resellers.
SeasonIn summer (June-August) and on weekends the ticket-office queue can reach 30-45 minutes; booking online lets you skip it. The combined ticket is valid for three consecutive days for individual and family visitors.
SafetyAll visitors pass through a security screening, and wheeled suitcases or large bags are not allowed inside. Leave big luggage at your accommodation or a locker before visiting.
Practical info
It is about a 5-minute walk from Staroměstská station on Metro Line A (green); trams 2, 17 and 18 also stop nearby at Staroměstská. Opening hours are seasonal — roughly 09:00-19:00 in summer (May-August) and 09:00-16:30 in winter — and with Saturday/holiday closures, prices and times shifting, always confirm the latest details on the official Jewish Museum in Prague website before your visit.
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