When I enter the Pinkas Synagogue in Prague’s Jewish Quarter, I’m not prepared for what I see. On the walls are painted the names of nearly 80,000 Czech and Moravian Jews; victims of Shoah concentration camp during Nazi occupation.
Founded in 1479 by Rabbi Pinkas, one of the Jewish community’s wealthy members, it now serves as a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. The synagogue was converted into this moving monument between 1955 and 1960 by painters Václav Boštík and Jiří John. After the Soviet invasion of 1968, the memorial was closed for more than 20 years. It was fully renovated and opened again in 1995.
As emotional as the site of all those names is, on the second floor are children’s drawings from Terezin concentration camp where the Jewish children were imprisoned during WWII. The drawings tell of the persecution of Jews in the Czech lands between 1939 and 1945. It’s hard to look at the pictures knowing most of the children were murdered in the gas chambers of Auschwitz-Březinka extermination camp. The paintings illustrate the transports to Terezin and everyday life in the ghetto as well as dreams of returning home.
Pinkas Synagogue is part of Prague’s Jewish Museum that was founded in 1906. Three other synagogues (Maisel, Klausen and Spanish), the Old Jewish Cemetery, Ceremonial Hall and Robert Gultmann Gallery are also part of the museum. One of the oldest and continuously existing Jewish museums in the world, its mission is “to document the history, traditions and customs of the Jewish population in Bohemia and preserve valuable artefacts from the Prague synagogues that were destroyed during the liquidation of the Prague ghetto.”
Old Jewish Cemetery
Just outside Pinkas Synagogue is the Old Jewish Cemetery, one of the oldest Jewish burial grounds in the world. The oldest tombstone dates from 1439; the last funeral took place in 1787.
Tombstones are only inches apart because the cemetery is actually 10 layers. When there wasn’t any more room for new burials, a layer of soil was placed on top of existing graves. The tombstones from the under layers were erected on the top layer where the newly departed were buried. There are 12,000 tombstones in the cemetery.
Maisel Synagogue was built by the rich mayor of the Jewish Town in 1592. Although the original Renaissance building was a victim of fire in 1689, a new neo-Gothic synagogue was built in its place from 1893-1905.
Today it houses a collection of Jewish silver, textiles, prints and books. Most of the collection was brought to Prague by the Nazis with the intention of establishing a museum of the people they planned to annihilate.
The Klausen synagogue is the largest in Prague. Originating in the 16th century, the current structure was built on the site in 1694 in the early Baroque style. The exhibition continues in the Ceremonial Hall and includes exhibitions about the Hebrew Bible. The displays also focus on the synagogue and its significance to the community.
In the gallery are exhibits relating to the daily life of a Jewish family including customs associated with birth, circumcision, bar mitzvah, marriage and divorce. It also provides a glimpse into a Jewish household and kitchen.
The Spanish Synagogue is the newest of the Prague synagogues. It was built in the Spanish Moorish style in 1868. The most ornate of the city’s synagogues, its exhibition deals with the history of the Jews in the Bohemian lands from the reforms of Joseph II in the 1780s to the period after WWII. On the upper floor is a permanent exhibit of more than 200 of the most valuable silver artifacts from the museum’s collections including Torah ornaments – shields, pointers, finials and crowns.
Old-New Synagogue
Although not part of the museum, Old-New Synagogue is a must-see. The oldest working synagogue in Europe and one of Prague’s earliest Gothic buildings dating to 1270, it is like time travel to walk its small circumference and see its treasures on display.
Worship here has continued for 700 years, interrupted only between 1941 and 1945 because of the Nazi occupation.
A visit to the Jewish Quarter is emotional and educational. The tour was a Viking River Cruises optional excursion and one I can certainly recommend.
For additional articles on Viking River Cruises’ excursions, click here.
What a fascinating post. Educational and interesting, but it also tugged at my heart strings. Such atrocities. We walked briefly through the Jewish Quarter on an architectural (free) tour of Prague in 2014, but didn’t have a lot of time to dally. Thanks for filling me in on some of the things I really didn’t know.
Thank you. It’s hard to take it all in when you’re there; the emotional side of what was done to the Jews before and during WWII. I hope when you are in Prague again you’ll have the time to tour the area in detail.
I’ve never visited Prague, but I definitely want to seen the Pinkas Synagogue and old cemetery in the Jewish Quarter. Your images are striking.
Both sites are very interesting and worth a visit! Thank you for your kind comments as well!!
A sad story. It reminds me of my recent visit to Tarnow in Poland which was mostly Jewish until the war but was later declared “Jew-free” (a chilling term).
Emotional and educational seem like good words to use to describe this tour. The names on the wall and the drawing would be heartbreaking. I’d find the history very interesting.
It was a great tour honoring the Jewish community of Prague; one I am glad I signed up for although it wasn’t easy at times knowing what the Jews went through.
What an emotional experience. I’m not sure I could manage through such a visit. But Prague is definitely on my travel list. I was just watching a documentary on Spielberg and it highlighted his production of Schindler’s List, another jarring account of the Holocaust.
Prague is such a wonderful city and, you’re right, visiting the Jewish Quarter was very emotional. The Holocaust is so unimaginable yet it happened…how can hate be so powerful?
Thank you very much for this insight into the oldest working synagogue in Europe. A sad, but very interesting story.
City after city I discover new atrocities the Nazis inflicted on the Jews. So very sad, but history we must never forget.
Prague is one of my favorite cities. I haven’t been to the Jewish Quarter, but I will be back next summer and will certainly put it on my list.
I was so impressed with Prague. If you love history I am sure you will enjoy the Jewish Quarter.
I haven’t had the pleasure of visiting Prague yet, but would certainly want to include the Jewish Quarter on my visit. I image it was a very educational and emotional experience.The fact that there a re 80,000 names written on the wall must have been overwhelming to see. This area would be a piece of history everyone should see.
I really enjoyed ever area of Prague. I am sure you will too!
We are heading that way in February on our last visit we did not get to this part so am looking forward to learning more this time