Spanish Synagogue (Spanelská Synagoga)

The basics

Though the Spanish Synagogue is the newest synagogue in Josefov, it’s built on the site of the 12th-century Altschul, which was the oldest synagogue in the Jewish Ghetto. Most tours of Prague's Jewish Quarter and Old Town include a stop to admire the synagogue’s impressive exteriors designed by Vojtěch Ignác Ullman in 1868. Tour elaborate interiors designed by Antonín Baum and Bedřich Münzberger, which include stucco-covered ceilings and walls, plus carved doors and gallery balustrades.

Things to know before you go

• The Spanish Synagogue in Prague holds regular services, permanent and temporary exhibitions, classical concerts, and a variety of other programs and events.

• The synagogue is part of the Jewish Museum in Prague cumulative ticket, including the city’s historic synagogues, Jewish cemeteries, museum, and other Jewish cultural and historic attractions.

• Photos are allowed inside the synagogue so be sure to bring a camera to capture its magnificent interior decorations.

• Clothing covering shoulders and knees is recommended to visit this active place of worship.

• There is a platform lift to guarantee accessibility to visitors using wheelchairs.

How to get there

The Spanish Synagogue is in Prague’s historic Jewish Quarter (Josefov) and easy to reach on foot from most Old Town (Staré Město) sights. From further afield in the city, take the metro line A to the Staromestska stop or skip the hassle of following a map by joining a Jewish culture and history walking or driving tour.

When to get there

The synagogue closes for the Jewish sabbath (from the early afternoon on Friday through Sunday morning) and religious holidays, so check the hours on the Jewish Museum in Prague’s website if you are not familiar with the Jewish calendar. The synagogue interiors are its highlight, making this a perfect stop for a rainy day.

Visiting the Jewish Museum in Prague

Prague’s Jewish Museum is a network of Jewish historic and cultural sites rather than a single exhibition space or collection, all located in the former Jewish Ghetto in Prague’s Old Town. A cumulative ticket four grants you access to four synagogues—Maisel Synagogue; Pinkas Synagogue, Klausen Synagogue, and the Spanish Synagogue—plus the Old Jewish Cemetery, the Ceremonial Hall, and the Robert Guttmann Gallery. They’re all within easy walking distance of each other.