Synagogue in Bubny

The Synagogue in Bubny is a small 1899 prayer house tucked into a courtyard off Heřmanova street in Prague's Holešovice district.

When and why was it built?

The building was put up by Eduard Fanta, who owned the tenement house at Heřmanova 719/25 and had the prayer hall built in his own courtyard. Construction wrapped up on 31 May 1899, and the authorities granted permission to use the building as a Jewish house of prayer on 3 September that same year. Fanta didn't get to enjoy his investment for long — he died less than two months later, on 20 October 1899.

Why does the roof sit so flat?

City building regulations originally capped the structure at seven metres. Fanta argued that a proper prayer house needed a women's gallery, and won approval to raise the building by another thirty centimetres. That small concession let the modestly sized hall — just 11 by 13 metres — include the separate women's section expected in a traditional synagogue layout, while the flat roof remained a compromise dictated by the height limit.

What architectural style is it?

The synagogue was built in Neo-Renaissance style. Because of its small scale and its hidden position at the back of a courtyard, rather than on a public street, it's sometimes referred to simply as the "Small Synagogue" or the "temple," setting it apart from the grand, tourist-facing synagogues of Prague's Old Town.

What happened to it during the war?

The prayer house served Prague's Jewish community until 1941. The last confirmed service held there was a bar mitzvah on 26 April 1941, for Arno Buxbaum, who was later imprisoned first in Terezín and then in Riga and did not survive the war. It's worth keeping this building distinct from the Praha-Bubny railway station nearby, which is the site associated with the wartime deportation of Prague's Jews — the two are separate landmarks in the same district, and available sources don't link the Heřmanova prayer house directly to the deportation transports.

What's inside the building now?

After decades without a religious function, the building underwent renovation in 2020. Since then, the former synagogue has operated as a cultural and event space, giving the old prayer house a second life as a gathering spot for the neighbourhood.

How do you get there?

The building sits at the back of a courtyard at Heřmanova 719/25, in Prague 7 – Holešovice, close to routes connecting central Prague with the Vltava riverside. Because it occupies private courtyard grounds rather than fronting a main street, it's worth checking opening hours for any scheduled event before planning a visit.

Frequently asked questions

How old is the Synagogue in Bubny? It was completed in 1899, making it well over a century old.

Is this the same site as the Prague deportation station? No. The wartime deportations are associated with the Praha-Bubny railway station, a separate site in the same district. The synagogue on Heřmanova street is a distinct, much smaller prayer house.

Does it still function as a synagogue? No — religious services stopped in 1941. Since a 2020 renovation, the building has been used as a cultural and club venue.

Why is the roof flat? It's the result of a dispute with the city building office over height limits — the owner only won approval for a small extension, needed to fit a women's gallery.