
Ceremonial Hall, Prague
Right next to the Klausen Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter is a building that resembles an old castle or, perhaps, a grand manor house. This is the Ceremonial Hall and you’ll probably ask yourself as to what wonderful story may be associated with it. Sadly, the answer is – none, really.
The Hall was built in 1912 to the design by architect J. Gerstl in a pseudo-Romanesque style. It was given to the Jewish Burial Society and was once a ceremonial hall and mortuary, where important members of the Jewish society were taken to be prepared for burial. This is one of the buildings in the area that the Nazi’s left untouched during their occupation, as it was destined to become part of their “Museum to an Extinct Race”.
Today it belongs to the Jewish Museum and holds permanent exhibitions, including one devoted to illness, death and graphic descriptions of ancient burial rites, along with the examples of gravestones, tombs, memorials and paintings donated by the Burial Society.
The other exhibition is less morbid; it represents Part II of the Jewish Customs and Traditions Exhibition (Part I is in the Klausen Synagogue) and deals with the everyday life of the Jewish households throughout centuries. It is a very interesting, instructive exhibition and is well worth visiting.
The Hall was built in 1912 to the design by architect J. Gerstl in a pseudo-Romanesque style. It was given to the Jewish Burial Society and was once a ceremonial hall and mortuary, where important members of the Jewish society were taken to be prepared for burial. This is one of the buildings in the area that the Nazi’s left untouched during their occupation, as it was destined to become part of their “Museum to an Extinct Race”.
Today it belongs to the Jewish Museum and holds permanent exhibitions, including one devoted to illness, death and graphic descriptions of ancient burial rites, along with the examples of gravestones, tombs, memorials and paintings donated by the Burial Society.
The other exhibition is less morbid; it represents Part II of the Jewish Customs and Traditions Exhibition (Part I is in the Klausen Synagogue) and deals with the everyday life of the Jewish households throughout centuries. It is a very interesting, instructive exhibition and is well worth visiting.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Prague. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from iTunes App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Ceremonial Hall on Map
Sight Name: Ceremonial Hall
Sight Location: Prague, Czech Republic (See walking tours in Prague)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Prague, Czech Republic (See walking tours in Prague)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Prague, Czech Republic
Create Your Own Walk in Prague
Creating your own self-guided walk in Prague is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
New Town Walking Tour
The youngest (established 1348) and the largest (three times the size of the Old Town), the New Town (Nove Mesto) of Prague is one of the five originally independent townships that today form the historic center of the Czech capital. Steeped in history, the district is traditionally dense with tourists.
Among the attractions found here there are Dancing House (named so for resembling a pair of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Among the attractions found here there are Dancing House (named so for resembling a pair of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Jewish Quarter Walking Tour
Josefov, formerly the Jewish ghetto of Prague, is part of the city's Old Town (Staré Město). Steeped in history, it breathes Jewish culture. Some of the beautiful and historically important synagogues here are still acting, whereas others have been converted to art galleries and museums. This self-guided tour will help you find your way around and explore the most interesting sites of... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
Old Town Souvenir Shopping
It would be a pity to leave Prague without having explored its specialty shops and bringing home something truly original. We've compiled a list of gifts and souvenirs, which are unique to Prague, that a visitor might like to purchase to reflect their visit.
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Prague Introduction Walking Tour
Nicknamed “the City of a Hundred Spires,” Prague is home to a wealth of attractions, including more than ten major museums, numerous theatres, galleries, and plethora of historic sights.
The Czech name Praha derives from an old Slavic word práh, which means "ford" or "rapid", referring to the city's origin at a crossing point of the Vltava river. The legendary... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
The Czech name Praha derives from an old Slavic word práh, which means "ford" or "rapid", referring to the city's origin at a crossing point of the Vltava river. The legendary... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Old Town Walking Tour
The Staré Město (Old Town) of Prague is a former medieval settlement that is now a lively cobblestoned hub with landmark attractions.
The area was once separated from the outside world by a semi-circular moat and a wall, hugged by the Vltava river. The moat is now covered up by streets, which form the official boundary of the Old Town. One of them, called Na Příkopě (literally “On the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
The area was once separated from the outside world by a semi-circular moat and a wall, hugged by the Vltava river. The moat is now covered up by streets, which form the official boundary of the Old Town. One of them, called Na Příkopě (literally “On the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Lesser Town Walking Tour
Malá Strana ("Lesser Town") is a district of Prague, one of the most historically significant in the Czech capital. Back in the Middle Ages, it was predominantly populated by ethnic Germans and, in later years, largely retained its Germanic vibe despite prevalence of the Baroque style in architecture.
The most prominent landmark of Malá Strana is the Wallenstein Palace. There are... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
The most prominent landmark of Malá Strana is the Wallenstein Palace. There are... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
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