Klausen Synagogue is situated by the Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague Josefov. It was built in the 16 th century by Mordechai Maisel and the legendary Rabi Loëw. Once the largest Prague synagogue, it is an exhibition space of the Jewish Museum in Prague nowadays.
History of the synagogue
Jewish Maecenas Mordechai Maisel bought the piece of land by the cemetery to build a synagogue there. The building consisted of three small houses, called “klausen” (from Latin word “claustrum”), thus the name Klausen Synagogue. The first building was a Talmud school, where Rabi Löew used to teach, the second building was used for religious purposes and the third one was a place of ritual baths and healthcare.
Klausen Synagogue burned down in the fire of Jewish ghetto in 1689. It was rebuilt as one building in Baroque style, called New Klausen School at the time. It was the largest Prague synagogue, the second most important synagogue of Prague Jewish community and it was also a synagogue of Prague burial-society.
The synagogue was rebuilt in 1880s by architect B. Münzberger. The equipment of the interior was destroyed during the Nazi occupation.
Jewish Museum in Prague
There is an exhibition “Jewish traditions and customs” of the Jewish Museum in Prague nowadays. You can familiarize yourself with Jewish feasts there, and also with traditional Jewish family customs, Jewish weddings etc.
