Old and Jewish

The blue sign located above the souvenir stands (see picture below), indicates by the little white arrows , the direction to the synagogues (Maisel, Spanish, Pinkas, Old-New, Klausen), to the Ceremony Hall, and to the Old Jewish Cemetery- the major sites that make up the Old Jewish Quarter of Prague (Josefov). These historic-religious sites are visited every year by thousands of people from all over the world.

souvenirs in the Old Jewish Quarter

The above mentioned sites, display items belonging to the Jewish Museum in Prague: collections of jewish prints, manuscripts, books, silver ornaments, textile, traditions ,customs, and also lots of drawings by children from Terezin concentration camp.

The Pinkas synagogue is a Memorial to the czech victims of the Holocaust ; their names are written on its walls.

The Old-New synagogue ( the Altneushul) is the oldest in Europe, still in use as house of prayer. The Spanish synagogue hosts, besides exhibitions, also various concerts.

It is forbidden to take pictures inside the synagogues ( the interior of the Spanish synagogue with its moorish decorations is , in my opinion, the most beautiful); visitors can buy postcards, books and commemorative coins offered for sale on the spot.

exterior of the Maisel synagogue


The Old-New synagogue (the Altneushul)


the Pinkas synagogue

The Old Jewish Cemetery is somehow peculiar and yet very impressive .
Although small, the cemetery contains thousands of graves from various historical periods; the oldest gravestone is from year 1439, and the last burial took place in 1787 .
It is said that the graves are put one upon another in some 12 layers! Many of the gravestones seem close to each other and inclined , probably because of lack of space.

hebrew inscriptions on the tombstones

The most prominent figure burried in this cemetery is Rabbi Jehuda Loew ben Bezalel (known as the MaHaRaL) a scholar and educator who has published more than fifty(50) religios and philosophical books. According to the legend, he created the Golem, a monster made of clay , brought to life through magic, who stood by the Jews in bad times, but later became violent and had to be destroyed.

One thing is obvios; no peace and quiet for the dead of this cemetery. It's constantly flooded with tourists taking pictures and wondering about the sights.

Panoramic 'Headache'

Shall we walk up the hill, climb the stairs of the old church/tower? take the funicular/the elevator/the chair lift? dine at the restaurant at the top of...? do it at the beginning of the tour, towards the end of the tour? all of it?

Well, these questions are about ways to get a panoramic (wide-angle) view of the city we've come to visit. A lot depends on the amount of time one has at one's disposal, weather, mood, and of course physical fitness.

A panoramic view is a Must as it offers some of the most exquisite moments in one's life. Who could ever forget the panoramic view of the Bay of Naples from the top of Mount Vesuvium in Italy, or the view of Athens from the Acropolis in Greece, for instance. Certainly Not Me.

In Prague there are quite a few spots that offer a stunning panoramic view of this fascinating city: The astronomical Clock Tower, the Powder Tower, the Ziziko TV Tower (pobably the highest place not only in Prague, but in the entire Czech Republic) , the Castle, the french Restaurant on top of the Dancing House, etc... The above mentioned towers and the Castle are the most famous attractions in the city.

the Astronomical Clock Tower

the Powder Tower

If it's a clear , nice day, I would strongly recommend the Petrin Hill for a panoramic view of Prague, and not only for this. The Petrin Hill is home to lush gardens, a house of mirrors, churches, and...a look out tower ( copy of the Eiffel Tower, 60 m high, 299 stairs to climb to the top platform, unless you decide to take the elevator).

to the Petrin Hill

There are two ways to get to the top of the hill: by walking uphill or by taking the funicular. Once you reach the top, there's the imposant observation tower. After being up and taking some pictures, you walk down towards the Castle that also offers amazing views of the city.

the Observatory Tower - Petrin Hill

people, food, and fun near the entrance

panoramic view from the Observatory Tower

view of the Castle from the gardens of Petrin Hill

view of Prague from the gate to the Castle

Prague at first sight

Last week I was in Prague (the capital of the Czeck Republic). That's a lovely city with very impressive architecture and lots of attractions.
The weather was cold (especially in the area of the famous Vltava river), but the sky was clear and even sunny at times, and this was good for walking around and taking pictures.

Most of the locals don't know English or any other major language . If a foreigner enters a store to buy something, both the salesperson and the customer get irritated as they have no common language. In this respect, Prague is not a friendly city. Driving is crazy here, and it's really dangerous to cross a street with all its tram lines and very few, if at all, traffic signs.

There are some love-sculptures in public places that are a delight to look at. Two such sculptures caught my eye in particular. One is placed in front of the Intercontinental Hotel ( a few steps from the Vltava), another, on the Petrin Hill (which offers a panoramic view of the city).

In the very center of the city, at the entrance of a book shop - a poster of Madeleine Albright (Albrightova, in the czech language). It seems that the Prague-born former USA Secretary of State is loved and admired here.

I can't remember anything specific about her as a Secretary of State. I think I will remember though, the present one, Hillary Clinton, for the fact that although she couldn't keep an eye on her husband, she thought she could keep an eye on the World.