But more importantly, given the fact of that the Czech-Jewish population of more than 118,000 was reduced to just 14,000 by the Holocaust, the community’s religious artefacts, records and much of the property of the 80,000 deportees murdered in the death camps were preserved for posterity by the museum under the noses of Nazi occupiers and the unsympathetic communists who followed them.
To avoid being overwhelmed, start with the jewel in the crown, the vaulted, semi-subterranean, 13th-century Old-New shul, which, although the smallest of the historic synagogues, is still a place of worship for today’s community. The much newer Spanish Synagogue, so-named for its Moorish interior popular in the 19th century, serves mostly as a repository for much of the collected Judaica from around the country including gorgeous ark curtains and other textiles, and its grounds are home to the statue of Franz Kafka, which is one of Prague’s most striking public sculptures.
The Cikan synagogue where Kafka was bar mitzvah fell to the wrecker’s ball, but still standing is the clocktower of the Jewish Town Hall, its timepiece bearing Hebrew numerals running counter-clockwise, which is said to have stopped at the moment Kafka died in 1924.
Visitors can also marvel at silver Torah ornaments, part of a 2,000-strong collection, in the 16th-century Maisel Synagogue, while the Pinkas, similar in age, serves as a memorial site for victims of the Shoah. The Klausen Synagogue, most beautiful of all, is too fragile to be a regular part of the Jewish Museum tour circuit, but it will be open in 2026 for special exhibitions, while another highlight of the anniversary is a Yiddish film festival running from March to June.
The Jewish Quarter of today’s Prague is still brimming with atmosphere in the few narrow streets that are left and, with its chic main boulevard Parizska – created in modern times and named after Paris – it is now the poshest part of the city. Inevitably, since independence Europe’s most famous designer names have battled for an address on Parizska, which connects Old Town Square, the city’s most famous landmark, with the river. Parizska is also home to Prague’s finest five-star hotel, the new Fairmont Golden Prague. The architectural heritage of this impressive riverside edifice is not art nouveau, like the surrounding curlicued buildings, but Brutalist – done beautifully by famous mid-century architect Karel Filsak. The huge lobby alone is a magnificent chronicle of Czech 20th-century and contemporary design, rich in art glass. There are sumptuous guest rooms, an excellent spa and swimming pool at garden level plus a variety of rooftop dining options.
The old Jewish Town Hall in Josefov has a second clock with Hebrew numerals[Missing Credit]
Richly decorated buildings jostle each other for space in Prague's Old Town[Missing Credit]
The Fairmont is around the corner from one of Prague’s two Michelin-starred restaurants. Despite its unpretentious appearance, Field is a feast for the senses no diner will forget. The tasting menus include vegetarian options. The owners of Field have also gifted the city 420, an attractive casual lunch spot hiding in the heart of Old Town Square. A centuries-old building sitting behind a glass door facing the famous Astronomical Clock has been opened up with skylights and transformed into an airy eatery offering modern Czech fare – the beer for which the country is already famous and the fine domestic wines enhancing its reputation for drink. Prague also has five kosher restaurants.
Take a parallel route to the river from Old Town Square and you are at Prague’s other world-famous landmark, Charles Bridge. For too many visitors this is as far as they get – a tragedy considering how many more riches are to be found on the far bank of the Vitava, an easy stroll over the statue-lined bridge. Prague Castle may be the main reason tourists visit Mala Strana, the neighbourhood facing the Old Town across the water, but you don’t need to climb hills to enjoy its highlights, including the Kafka Museum, picturesque lanes packed with pubs and galleries and attractive gardens.
The 5th District Restaurant, Prague's oldest kosher eatery, has hosted Harvey Keitel and Richard Gere among other Hollywood celebrities[Missing Credit]
Too few visitors make it the extra couple of miles to Holosovice, the Shoreditch of Prague, which is a shame given its own wealth of attractions, including the excellent DOX contemporary art museum, former abattoirs converted into shopping and dining spots, edgy neighbourhood cafes and some fine vintage shopping. And even those who never cross the river will miss out if they don’t head beyond the Old Town into the so-called New Town packed with gems including the Municipal House auditorium and cafe complex with magnificent art nouveau murals by Alphonse Mucha, and the gorgeous art deco Cafe Imperial where Kafka once dined. Even Prague’s railway station is a treasure house, its upper level glorified by a magnificent fin de siècle cupola and the destination Fantova café. But you have to descend into the depths to find the most pertinent landmarks for Jewish visitors. A statue of Nicholas Winton stands on Platform 1, from where the unassuming Brit saw off to freedom the hundreds of Jewish children he and others saved, and even, more poignantly, in the corridor leading up to it, the Farewell Memorial – an installation of handprints parents would have seen pressed against the glass of the train windows as they waved those children goodbye most likely for ever. t
Prague is served from London, Manchester and Bristol by several airlines. Rooms at the Fairmont Golden Prague from £350 per night
fairmont.com/en/hotels/prague/fairmont-golden-prague.html
More information at jewishmuseum.cz
visitczechia.com
Interior of the beautiful but fragile Klausen Synagogue[Missing Credit]