The Old-New Synagogue (Czech: Staronová synagoga; German: Altneuschul or Altneu-Synagoge) in Prague's Josefov (former Jewish Town) is Europe's oldest active synagogue and the oldest surviving medieval synagogue with a twin-nave (double-nave) design. Completed around 1270, it has served as the main house of worship for Prague's Jewish community for over 750 years, with only a brief interruption during the Nazi occupation (1942–1945). It ranks among Prague's earliest Gothic buildings and symbolizes the continuity of Jewish life in Central Europe despite centuries of persecution, pogroms, floods, and wars.
Etymology and Early Origins
The synagogue was originally known as
the "New Synagogue" or "Great Synagogue" (or "New Shul" in Yiddish). In
the late 16th century, as newer synagogues (such as the Pinkas or
Meisel) were built in the expanding Jewish Quarter, it became the
"Old-New Synagogue" to distinguish it from both older structures and
more recent ones. An older synagogue once stood on Dušní Street
(demolished in 1867 and replaced by the Spanish Synagogue).
A folk
etymology links the name to the Hebrew phrase al tnay ("on condition"),
which sounds like Yiddish alt-nay ("old-new"). This ties directly into
one of the synagogue's most enduring legends: angels transported stones
from the destroyed Temple in Jerusalem to build it, on the condition
that the stones would be returned when the Messiah comes and the Third
Temple is rebuilt.
Archaeological evidence from excavations during
1967 and 1998–1999 restorations points to Jewish settlement in the area
as early as the 11th century, though the current building dates to the
last third of the 13th century. King Přemysl Ottakar II's privileges to
Prague's Jews (issued around 1254–1260s) likely enabled its
construction, granting protections that allowed the community to erect a
prominent stone synagogue.
Construction and Architectural
Evolution
Christian stone-masons from the royal workshop—then working
on the nearby Convent of St. Agnes—built the synagogue, as Jews were
generally barred from the building trades at the time. It reflects early
Gothic architecture influenced by Cistercian and monastic styles but
adapted for Jewish use.
The core is a rectangular stone hall (roughly
15 x 9 meters) divided lengthwise into two naves by two octagonal piers
supporting six vaulted bays. The vaulting uses five ribs per bay
(unusual, as four or six were more common), possibly to avoid evoking
the Christian cross, though scholars debate this. Twelve narrow Gothic
lancet windows (and motifs of twelve vines and grape clusters on the
tympanum and bimah base) symbolize the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The
narrow windows made the interior famously dark in pre-electric days; it
is now illuminated by electric chandeliers and historic brass ones.
The high saddle roof with late-Gothic brick gables (added or upgraded in
the late 15th century) gives the building its distinctive silhouette,
with stepped "sawtooth" gables on the west end. Low annexes were added
in phases:
South vestibule/entrance (earliest addition).
Women's sections (one possibly 14th century on the west or south; a
northern one in the 18th century, with small peephole windows
overlooking the main hall—standard for Orthodox separation of sexes).
Other annexes abut the main hall, a pattern later common in Central
European synagogues.
The bimah (raised platform for Torah
reading, enclosed by a 15th-century wrought-iron Gothic grille with
pointed arches) sits between the two central piers. The Aron Kodesh
(holy ark for Torah scrolls) is on the eastern wall, with five steps
leading up; the current ark dates to the 16th century (with classical
columns on volute brackets) but incorporates older Gothic elements. A
small well-like depression in the floor in front of the ark allows the
cantor to stand lower, symbolically humbling the leader before the
congregation.
Other features include:
A large red banner
(modern replica of a 1716 original) near the west pillar, featuring a
Star of David enclosing a "Jewish hat" (pointed hat symbol), stitched in
gold with the Shema Yisrael prayer. It was granted by Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand III (or earlier privileges from Charles IV in 1357, renewed in
1716) in gratitude for Jewish defense of Prague during the Thirty Years'
War.
Interior walls last painted in 1618 (shortly after the death of
the famed Rabbi Judah Loew); legends claim later painting attempts
caused mysterious deaths, leaving the southern wall with 400+ year-old
paint.
Coded Hebrew acronyms on walls (e.g., "I place God before me
always" and "Know before Whom you stand").
A small positive organ
used historically for Friday Kabbalat Shabbat music (a unique Ashkenazi
custom here).
Key Historical Events and Role in the Community
The synagogue has been the spiritual and communal heart of Prague Jewry:
1389: Damaged during a major pogrom (one of many attacks it
survived).
1501 and 1598: Flooded by the Vltava River (services
canceled one year; affected during Rabbi Loew's era).
16th–18th
centuries: Flourished under rabbis like Judah Loew ben Bezalel (the
Maharal of Prague, 1525–1609), a towering scholar and mystic associated
with the synagogue (his "seat" to the right of the ark remains empty in
respect). Another notable was Rabbi Ezekiel Landau (Noda biYehuda,
1713–1793).
Thirty Years' War (1618–1648): Jews' loyalty earned the
banner privilege.
19th–20th centuries: Renovated multiple times while
remaining in continuous use. It became a National Cultural Monument in
1995.
Nazi era (1939–1945): Closed to services but spared
destruction. The Nazis planned to use Prague's Jewish sites, including
this one, as a "museum to an extinct race" after the
Holocaust—ironically preserving it. A legend claims a Gestapo agent died
trying to enter the attic genizah.
Postwar: Restored and reopened;
still hosts regular Orthodox services (Nusach Ashkenaz), Bar Mitzvahs,
and ceremonies under the Prague Jewish Community.
A unique custom
here involves reciting Psalm 92 (Mizmor Shir LeYom HaShabbat) twice on
Friday evenings, blending older Ashkenazi and later Kabbalistic
practices. An early 18th-century Torah scroll in the ark (commissioned
via charity) was found to have uncorrectable errors and remains there
permanently as a "non-kosher" historical artifact, per a ruling by the
Council of Four Lands.
Legends and Mystique
Beyond the Temple
stones legend:
Angels in the form of doves protected it from ghetto
fires.
The attic (genizah for worn sacred texts) supposedly holds the
dismantled remains of the Golem—the clay guardian created by the Maharal
in the late 16th century to protect Jews from blood libels and attacks.
He deactivated it by removing the shem (divine name) and stored the body
there. The lowest stairs to the attic were removed (it's inaccessible to
the public); 1883/2014 explorations found no trace, but the legend
persists in literature, art, and folklore.
The building's "hallowed"
status deterred alterations.
Renovations and Preservation
Late
15th century: Roof and gable upgrades.
1716: Major work shaping much
of its current appearance (including banner parade).
1883: Architect
Josef Mocker's remodeling.
1921–1926: State-led structural and
plaster work.
1966–1967: Interior renovation with conservation
oversight and excavations.
1998–1999: Further archaeological and
restoration work.
These efforts preserved its medieval fabric
remarkably intact, making it the most complete surviving medieval
synagogue. Today, it operates under the Jewish Museum in Prague's
umbrella for visitors (while maintaining active worship) and draws
hundreds of thousands annually as a UNESCO-recognized site within the
historic Jewish Quarter.
Exterior Architecture
The building is a
free-standing rectangular stone structure measuring approximately 15 × 9
metres (length × width). Its walls are massive, constructed of squared
stone blocks (foundations extend at least 1 metre deep with strong
corner buttresses). The exterior is now plastered a light beige/ochre
colour, but the core is medieval stone.
A high-pitched saddle roof
covered in red/orange tiles dominates the silhouette; the roof
framework, gable, and party walls are original medieval work. Both ends
feature prominent late-Gothic stepped (crenellated) brick gables that
rise dramatically above the roofline, giving the building a
fortress-like presence in its medieval context. Buttresses reinforce the
exterior walls.
Narrow Gothic lancet windows (originally 12 in total)
pierce the walls at high level; these are small and deeply splayed,
contributing to the building’s historically “dark” reputation (now
mitigated by electric lighting). The south side has the main entrance
via a later vestibule annex. The tympanum above the portal features
carved stone decoration with 12 vine leaves and 12 bunches of grapes — a
deliberate reference to the 12 tribes of Israel.
Low annexes (added
in phases from the 14th–18th centuries) wrap three sides of the main
hall. The earliest is the south vestibule/entrance annex; the north
annex serves as the women’s gallery (its current form dates largely to
1742). These lower structures have their own small windows and red-tiled
roofs, visually “enlacing” the taller main volume.
Floor Plan and
Overall Layout
The main sanctuary is a double-nave hall oriented
roughly east–west (Torah ark on the eastern wall, as per Jewish
tradition). Two octagonal stone piers divide the space lengthwise into
two parallel naves, creating six vaulted bays in total (three along each
nave). The bimah platform sits centrally between the piers. The women’s
annex runs along the north side with slit windows overlooking the main
hall; the vestibule is on the south. Excavations confirm the main hall
was built first, with annexes abutted later.
Interior
Architecture and Unique Features
Nine steps descend from street level
into the vestibule (following the Jewish custom of the main prayer hall
being symbolically “lower than the ground”). From there, a doorway opens
into the double-nave sanctuary. The space feels surprisingly spacious
despite the modest 15 × 9 m footprint because the two naves and high
vaults create vertical emphasis.
The vaulting system is the most
distinctive technical feature: each of the six bays is covered by a
ribbed vault with five ribs (instead of the usual four or six in Gothic
architecture). This is unique in Bohemian Gothic and extremely rare
anywhere; scholars debate whether the fifth rib was added to
deliberately avoid evoking the Christian cross, though the theory is
disputed (other synagogues have four-rib vaults and some Christian
buildings use five). The ribs spring from the two central octagonal
piers and from wall corbels, creating a rhythmic, unified ceiling.
Capitals on the piers and corbels show typical early-Gothic foliage
carving.
The bimah (elevated platform for Torah reading) occupies the
exact centre between the two piers. It is enclosed by a fine
15th-century wrought-iron Gothic grille with pointed arches and
intricate tracery — one of the oldest surviving medieval synagogue
furnishings in Europe. A large historical banner of the Prague Jewish
community (Star of David enclosing a Jewish hat) hangs nearby.
On the
eastern wall sits the Aron ha-Kodesh (Torah ark). The current structure
dates to the 16th century, featuring classical columns on volute
brackets; an older carved Gothic gable element from an earlier ark was
incorporated into it. Five steps lead up to the ark. Two round
stained-glass windows flank it above. A small lectern in front has a
slight depression in the floor for the cantor.
Lighting comes from
the 12 narrow lancet windows (again symbolising the 12 tribes),
originally directing focused light onto the bimah — evoking comparisons
with the Temple of Solomon. Medieval stonework is rich but restrained;
furnishings include antique chandeliers (some electric today) and simple
wooden benches. The women’s gallery is accessed separately and looks
into the main hall through small openings.
The story is set during the reign of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II (r.
1576–1612), a period of relative tolerance mixed with underlying
antisemitism, blood libels, and threats of expulsion or pogroms against
Prague’s Jews. The central figure is the real historical scholar Rabbi
Judah Loew ben Bezalel (c. 1520–1609), known as the Maharal of Prague.
He was a renowned Talmudist, philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer
who led the Jewish community and founded a major Talmudic academy. In
the legend, he turns to Kabbalistic mysticism—drawing on ancient ideas
from the Talmud and Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Creation)—to create a
protector when prayer and politics fail.
Creation of the Golem
According to the classic narrative, one night Rabbi Loew heard a divine
voice commanding him to create a defender. He enlisted two (or sometimes
three) assistants—often identified as his son-in-law Isaac ben Simeon
and a disciple Jacob ben Chayim Sasson—and went to the banks of the
Vltava River at midnight.
Using the four elements (earth/clay from
the riverbank, water, fire, and air), they molded a giant, man-like
figure from mud and clay. They circled it ritually while reciting
combinations of Hebrew letters and divine names. To animate it, Rabbi
Loew inscribed the Hebrew word אֱמֶת (emet, “truth”) on its forehead
(or, in the most common versions, placed a shem—a parchment inscribed
with the secret name of God or sacred incantations—into its mouth). He
commanded: “Rise and walk!” The creature, named Yossele (or Joseph the
Golem), came to life. It was mute, immensely strong, obedient, but
lacked independent thought or soul.
The Golem’s Service and Daily
Life
Yossele performed menial and protective tasks: fetching water,
chopping wood, serving in the household, and—most importantly—patrolling
the ghetto streets at night to ward off attackers, expose blood libels,
or catch those planting false evidence against Jews. Some versions say
it could turn invisible or summon spirits. It never ate, drank, or
slept. Every Friday evening before the Sabbath, Rabbi Loew removed the
shem (or erased the first letter of “emet,” turning it into מת (met,
“dead”)) so the creature would not profane the holy day by working.
The Rampage and Deactivation
The tragedy unfolded on one fateful
Sabbath eve. Rabbi Loew, distracted by urgent matters (or simply
forgetting in some tellings), left the shem in place. The Golem,
unchecked, grew enormous, lost control, and rampaged through the
streets—smashing buildings, terrifying residents, and threatening
destruction (some versions add it fell in love and turned violent when
rejected).
News reached the rabbi while he was inside the Old-New
Synagogue, leading services and reciting Psalm 92 (“A Psalm, a Song for
the Sabbath Day”). He immediately interrupted the prayer, rushed out
(some accounts say the confrontation happened right outside the
synagogue), and removed the shem. The Golem froze, collapsed into a
lifeless heap of clay, and was carried back inside. Upon returning, the
congregation resumed Psalm 92—hence the enduring custom in the Old-New
Synagogue of reciting this psalm twice during services to this day.
Storage in the Attic of the Old-New Synagogue
Rabbi Loew and his
assistants carried the inert clay body to the synagogue’s attic (a
genizah, or storage for sacred items). They laid it to rest there,
covered it, and forbade anyone from entering. The external staircase was
removed; the only access is a small door high on the wall (visible from
Pařížská Street, with metal ladder rungs still embedded in the
brickwork). Rabbi Loew warned that only his successors could ever revive
it in a time of dire need.
Later rabbis respected the ban. One
18th-century chief rabbi, Yechezkel Landau, prepared ritually (fasting,
immersion, tallit and tefillin) to ascend but turned back at the top,
trembling with fear, and reaffirmed the prohibition. When the attic was
renovated in 1883, nothing was found. A 20th-century journalist (Egon
Erwin Kisch) searched in vain. Other folk variants claim the Golem was
later stolen and buried elsewhere, or that a Nazi intruder entered and
met a mysterious end. The attic remains strictly closed to the public.
Evolution of the Legend
The core elements draw from much older
Jewish mystical traditions (Talmudic references to Adam as an unformed
“golem,” medieval Kabbalistic instructions for creating artificial
life). However, the specific Prague story attached to Rabbi Loew and the
Old-New Synagogue is a 19th-century literary and folk development.
Earlier golem tales were linked to Rabbi Elijah of Chełm (Poland, 16th
century). The first printed versions attributing it to the Maharal
appeared in German in the 1830s–1840s (e.g., Berthold Auerbach 1837,
Franz Klutschak 1841, Leopold Weisel 1847). A 1909 Hebrew book by Yudel
Rosenberg presented a fabricated “eyewitness” account that popularized
the defensive-against-pogroms motif. No 16th–18th-century sources
(including the Maharal’s own writings or contemporary biographies)
mention a golem. The legend was retrofitted to explain the synagogue’s
Psalm 92 custom and the inaccessible attic.
Despite its relatively
recent literary origins, the tale has profoundly shaped Prague’s
identity. It inspired Gustav Meyrink’s 1915 novel The Golem, films, art,
and countless souvenirs. The Old-New Synagogue itself—its soaring Gothic
vault, ancient bimah, and medieval atmosphere—feels steeped in the
story.
Today, visitors can tour the synagogue (part of the Jewish
Museum in Prague complex), see Rabbi Loew’s tombstone in the nearby Old
Jewish Cemetery, and spot Golem statues and bakeries throughout the
city. But the attic door high on the wall serves as a silent reminder:
the clay guardian still waits, legend says, in case Prague’s Jews ever
need him again. The story blends mysticism, fear, hubris, and hope—a
timeless parable about the dangers of playing God and the enduring quest
for protection.