The Old-New Synagogue

The Old-New Synagogue

The Prague audio-guided tour invites you to quiet contemplation before a building of austere appearance that should certainly not be underestimated: the Old-New Synagogue, the oldest synagogue still in use in Central Europe, and one of the oldest Gothic buildings of the city.

A paradoxical name

At its creation, around 1270, it was named the New Synagogue, since it replaced an older, vanished version. But why then Old as well as New? It was simply a way to distinguish it from the other synagogues, gradually built after it. This paradoxical name alone tells the long continuity of Jewish life in Prague, of which it is the oldest still-living witness.

What there is to see

The Gothic interior, with its five-ribbed vaults, its wrought-iron bimah and its atmosphere laden with centuries, commands silence and respect. The synagogue is also linked to the legend of the Golem, a clay creature that Rabbi Loew is said to have hidden in its attic. Still in use, it remains a living place of worship and one of the spiritual hearts of the Josefov quarter, to be discovered with contemplation.

Practical information

The Old-New Synagogue is in the Jewish quarter of Josefov, in Prague. An active place of worship, it is visited with respect for the contemplation of the faithful, according to its own schedule, with a charge, whose opening times may vary with the season and the holidays. Appropriate dress is required.

Why is the Old-New Synagogue remarkable?

It is the oldest synagogue still in use in Central Europe, created around 1270, and one of the oldest Gothic buildings of Prague.

What legend is linked to the Old-New Synagogue?

The legend of the Golem, a clay creature that Rabbi Loew is said to have hidden in the synagogue's attic.