The Prague Jewish Quarter

In Old Town Prague, a district particularly stands out—yet remains deeply rooted in the city’s history. You can easily guess when you’ve entered the Jewish Quarter without checking your phone. It was named Josefov after Emperor Joseph II, a man who granted freedom to Jewish communities during the 18th century. This former ghetto was both a home and a refuge for Czech Jews since medieval times. Though its once austere appearance has transformed into today’s Art Nouveau style, the community’s persecuted past remains palpable in every street.The spirit of Josefov continues to live on thanks to Prague’s Jewish Museum. It presents five historic synagogues, as well as the Old Jewish Cemetery and the Jewish Town Hall. Quite a paradoxical fate when you think about it, since the Nazis wanted to transform this district into an “exotic museum” of a soon-to-be exterminated population.