Old Jewish Cemetery

Top choice in Staré Město


The Old Jewish Cemetery is Europe’s oldest surviving Jewish graveyard. Founded in the early 15th century, it has a palpable atmosphere of mourning even after more than two centuries of disuse (it was closed in 1787). Around 12,000 crumbling stones (some brought from other, long-gone cemeteries) are heaped together, but beneath them are perhaps as many as 100,000 graves, piled in layers because of the lack of space.

However, remember that this is one of Prague’s most popular sights, so if you’re hoping to have a moment of quiet contemplation you’ll probably be disappointed.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Staré Město attractions

1. Klaus Synagogue

0.02 MILES

The Klaus Synagogue houses a good exhibit on Jewish ceremonies of birth and death, worship and special holy days.

2. Ceremonial Hall

0.03 MILES

Built in 1912, the Ceremonial Hall was formerly the mortuary for the Old Jewish Cemetery, and is now the site of an interesting exhibition on Jewish…

3. Pinkas Synagogue

0.03 MILES

The handsome Pinkas Synagogue was built in 1535 and used for worship until 1941. After WWII it was converted into a memorial, with wall after wall…

4. Museum of Decorative Arts

0.04 MILES

This museum opened in 1900 as part of a European movement to encourage a return to the aesthetic values sacrificed to the Industrial Revolution. Once a…

5. Prague Jewish Museum

0.05 MILES

This museum consists of six Jewish monuments clustered together in Josefov: the Maisel Synagogue; the Pinkas Synagogue; the Spanish Synagogue; the Klaus…

6. Jewish Town Hall

0.05 MILES

The town hall was built by Jewish ghetto mayor Mordechai Maisel in 1586. It's worth noting for its clock tower, which has one Hebrew face where the hands…

7. High Synagogue

0.06 MILES

The elegant 16th-century High Synagogue is so called because its prayer hall (closed to the public) is upstairs.

8. Old-New Synagogue

0.07 MILES

Completed around 1270, this is Europe’s oldest working synagogue and one of Prague’s earliest Gothic buildings. You step down into it because it pre-dates…