
Old New Synagogue, Prague
The Old New Synagogue of Prague’s Jewish Quarter is the oldest synagogue in Europe that is still used as a house of prayer. One of the city's first Gothic buildings, it dates back to 1270. It is also the oldest synagogue that boasts a twin nave, the presence of which is due to the architects being Christians, who modeled the design on the monasteries of that period.
The double naves have six vaulted bays, each with five-ribbed vaulting, which is rather unusual, as most Gothic vaultings are either four- or six-ribbed. Some scholars say that it was to avoid a semblance of the Christian cross. Each of the bays has two narrow Gothic windows. Over the tympanum of the portal, the moulding depicts 12 vines with 12 bunches of grapes. Apparently, the number 12 represents the 12 Tribes of Israel.
There are several legends attached to the synagogue; one being that its foundation stones were carried to Prague from the ruins of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem by angels and that the synagogue is “Tnay”, which means “on condition”. This means that the building will remain undamaged until it is moved to Jerusalem. “Thay” may eventually have been corrupted to “alt-neu” (old-new) thus explaining how the synagogue came by its strange name.
Another legend suggests that the body of the Golem of Prague lies in the genizah (attic) and that a German soldier who tried to enter it was struck down by the Golem himself. It is true that during the Second World War, the Nazi’s never penetrated the genizah. The lower three metres of the stairs, leading to the attic, have been removed and it is not open to visitors.
The double naves have six vaulted bays, each with five-ribbed vaulting, which is rather unusual, as most Gothic vaultings are either four- or six-ribbed. Some scholars say that it was to avoid a semblance of the Christian cross. Each of the bays has two narrow Gothic windows. Over the tympanum of the portal, the moulding depicts 12 vines with 12 bunches of grapes. Apparently, the number 12 represents the 12 Tribes of Israel.
There are several legends attached to the synagogue; one being that its foundation stones were carried to Prague from the ruins of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem by angels and that the synagogue is “Tnay”, which means “on condition”. This means that the building will remain undamaged until it is moved to Jerusalem. “Thay” may eventually have been corrupted to “alt-neu” (old-new) thus explaining how the synagogue came by its strange name.
Another legend suggests that the body of the Golem of Prague lies in the genizah (attic) and that a German soldier who tried to enter it was struck down by the Golem himself. It is true that during the Second World War, the Nazi’s never penetrated the genizah. The lower three metres of the stairs, leading to the attic, have been removed and it is not open to visitors.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.
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.
Old New Synagogue on Map
Sight Name: Old New Synagogue
Sight Location: Prague, Czech Republic (See walking tours in Prague)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Prague, Czech Republic (See walking tours in Prague)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Prague, Czech Republic
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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.
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
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Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
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Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Lesser Town Walking Tour
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
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Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
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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
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