Prague was once considered one of Europe’s greatest Jewish cities. Jews have been here
since the end of the 10th century and, by 1708, Jews accounted for about a quarter of Prague’s population. In the early 18th century there were more Jews here than anywhere else in Europe. Today, Prague’s Jewish community numbers about 1500.

Jews were obliged to live in Prague’s ghetto, and forced to be buried there too. Opened for business in 1439. Over the next 400 years some 20 000 local residents were buried in a space barely large enough for a tenth that amount. The result is dramatic, both emotionally and visually.

The Jewish quarter was administered from the Jewish Town Hall. Today, this hall is the only secular building that remains from the time of the Jewish Ghetto.

Build in the 13th century, the Old-New Synagogue is now the oldest synagogue in Europe. Services, which are still conducted here, have been held almost continiously for over 700 years. They were interrupted only between 1941 and 1945 during the Nazi occupation.