Old Jewish Cemetery, Prague

The Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague is one of the oldest surviving Jewish cemeteries in Europe, tucked away in Josefov — Prague's historic Jewish quarter. The site is managed by the Jewish Museum in Prague, for which it stands as one of the most significant and most visited locations.

Where is the cemetery located?

The cemetery sits right in the heart of Josefov, close to Prague's historic city centre. For centuries this district was home to a self-contained Jewish community, and its layout still reflects the old structure of the Prague Jewish town. Its proximity to the Old Town makes the cemetery an easy stop for anyone exploring the historic centre of the Czech capital.

For how long was the cemetery in use?

Burials at this site began in the first half of the 15th century, placing its origins firmly in the medieval period, and continued without interruption until 1787. This exceptionally long period of use — spanning nearly three and a half centuries — makes the cemetery one of the few places in Europe where generations of a single Jewish community were laid to rest in one continuous location over such a long stretch of history.

How many tombstones have survived?

More than 12,000 tombstones (matzevot) have survived on the grounds of the cemetery. This is a remarkable number considering the relatively small, wall-enclosed area the cemetery occupies within the city. The density and variety of the stone markers — ranging from simple, modest steles to more decorative forms — make the site a unique record of the centuries-long history of Prague's Jewish community.

Why are the graves arranged in several layers?

Because of the limited space available to the Jewish community and the religious rules governing burial, the dead here were interred in several overlapping layers. Rather than expanding the cemetery's boundaries, successive generations were buried one above another, with soil added and new tombstones placed above older ones. The result of this process is the dense, irregular arrangement of tilted, closely packed tombstones that is today one of the most recognisable features of the site.

Who looks after the cemetery today?

The cemetery is managed by the Jewish Museum in Prague, the institution responsible for preserving and presenting the city's Jewish cultural heritage. Thanks to this stewardship, the cemetery is not only a protected historical monument but also a site that can be visited as part of a broader route through the Jewish heritage sites of Josefov.

What should you know before visiting?

When visiting, it is worth remembering that this is first and foremost a cemetery — a burial ground, not merely a tourist attraction. The densely packed, tilted tombstones are best appreciated by taking time for a quiet walk along the narrow paths that wind between them, which allows visitors to grasp the scale and uniqueness of the site far better than a quick walk-through would.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague located? In Josefov, Prague's historic Jewish quarter, close to the city's historic centre.

From when to when were people buried here? Burials took place from the first half of the 15th century until 1787.

How many tombstones have survived? More than 12,000 tombstones have survived on the site.

Why are the tombstones arranged so densely and unevenly? Because of the cemetery's limited space and Jewish burial customs, the dead were interred in several overlapping layers, producing the site's characteristic dense arrangement of tombstones.

Who manages the cemetery? The Jewish Museum in Prague.