Old Jewish Cemetery

In the midst of differently shaped gravestones, stories of Jewish Prague can be experienced at this special place. Hebrew inscriptions and symbols provide insights into the lives of various personalities and tell of harrowing lives and fates. The one-hectare green area is completely littered with ancient gravestones. While some already show clear signs of weathering due to their age, others have almost completely sunk into the ground. In this mystical place, no two gravestones are alike.

In the middle of Prague's Old Town

On the right side of the Vltava River and in the centre of Prague's Old Town is the former Jewish quarter with the Old Jewish Cemetery. It is surrounded by a high wall and the Pinkas and Klaus Synagogue. This sight is very special, as it is one of the oldest Jewish burial grounds in all of Europe and provides deep insights into Jewish burial culture.

Numerous layers of graves

The Old Jewish Cemetery was established in the 15th century and has remained largely unchanged in size to this day. The oldest grave dates back to the poet Avigdor Kara in 1439. Despite several expansions of the area, the space was soon no longer sufficient, so that the dead were buried in layers of graves on top of each other. Today there are up to twelve layers in some places. Therefore the total number of those who found their last resting place here is disputed. Today the cemetery counts 12,000 gravestones, but it is assumed that a total of about 100,000 people were buried here.

The miracle worker Rabbi Löw

The grave of Rabbi Löw dates from 1609 and is one of the most famous graves in the cemetery. To this day, many legends and sagas revolve around the personality of the clergyman and scholar. He is considered to be the creator of the legendary Prague Golem, an artificial being made of clay. This was created primarily to perform tasks for the rabbi and the Jews of Prague and to provide help.

Löw also entered the world of legends under the name "Miracle Rabbi". It was said that he had the ability to fulfil the wishes of the Jews of Prague. Many visitors to the Jewish Cemetery still believe in this story. That is why they leave small notes with their wishes at the grave of the "Miracle Rabbi" in the hope that they will come true.

The last burials

Since according to Jewish religious law it was not allowed to dissolve the site and thus disturb the resting of the dead, the Jewish inhabitants of Prague were buried at this site until 1787. In the 19th century, the New Jewish Cemetery was established in another part of Prague. The Old Jewish Cemetery, however, is a special sight in Prague, as it offers its visitors exciting insights into a 348-year-old Jewish burial tradition.