Photos by Betsy
The first part of the day was spent exploring the Jewish Quarter and then we spent the rest in the Old Town Square, people watching, relaxing in the fall sun and reflecting on the day. As the day grew later, we returned to Charles Bridge to see a beautiful sunset, then a good walk along the river before going back to the square and ending with an early night.
Visiting the Jewish Quarter is an emotional experience. As with Austria and other Eastern European countries, this is where much of the horror happened or was facilitated during the years leading up to and during World War II. The stories told in the exhibits in the Jewish Quarter happened to people who lived here, worked here, raised families here. The synagogues are so well preserved and the exhibits so well done and informative. All of it combines to tell a painful and powerful truth.
The first stop on the tour is Maisel Synagogue, built as a private place of worship by the Maisel family during the late 16th century. This was the “Golden Age” of Prague Jews, when the Habsburgs stopped much of the persecutions against them. Inside, the exhibit traces a thousand years of Jewish history in Bohemia and Moravia.
Next we entered Pinkas Synagogue, a Jewish place of worship since the 16th century converted to a memorial to the victims of the Nazis. The synagogue was built by Aaron Meshulam Horowitz in 1535. Today, the walls are inscribed with the handwritten names of 77,297 of the Czech Jews murdered in the camps. The names are carefully organized with family names in red followed in black by first names, birthday and date of death, if known, or date of deportation. The grandparents of Prague-born former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright are listed on the wall. The name project began in the 1950s but when the communists gained power in Prague, they erased the work. It began anew with the freedom won in 1989.
The Old Jewish Cemetery’s tombstones lean dramatically in a peaceful setting. From 1439 to 1787, this was the only burial ground allowed for the Jews of Prague. That meant the graves had to be piled on top of each other, which is why the stones are crooked. Close to 85,000 are buried here.
The 17th-century Baroque Klausen Synagogue includes displays of Jewish holidays. It has a Torah from 1444.
The Old-New Synagogue, or Staronova, was built in 1270 and is the oldest in Eastern Europe.
The Spanish Synagogue, built in the late 1800s, reflects a Moorish style. Its displays bring Jewish history up to the 20th century.
We left the Jewish Quarter and walked back to Old Town for lunch and found an outdoor table in the sun at Meet Burger. The weather is crisp and cool and today’s sun felt great, so great that we wanted to stay in it. We walked around Old Town Square and then sat and took in the atmosphere. We moved around every hour or so to get a different view. The square is busy with people, vendors, horse carriages and tour groups. Some move through in a hurry while others, like us, spend an afternoon.
On the way to see the setting sun, we stopped at a popular restaurant, Kozlovna Apropos, for a drink and to pass some of the time. It was a lively atmosphere. The restaurant has a goat theme and a little goat seat at the door. We watched several people make photos there, so we did the same.
Charles Bridge was filled with people there to see the show the sun was putting on, which was beautiful with pink and gold filling the sky and reflecting on the river.
We weren’t quite ready to call it day, so we decided to see another landmark on our list. We walked along the river to the Dancing House, designed by the Croatian-Czech architect Vlado Milunić in cooperation with Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry. It was Gehry who originally nicknamed it the Fred & Ginger, after Hollywood’s famous dancing couple. However, he later regretted that nickname saying he didn’t want to import Hollywood kitsch to Prague.
We went to the rooftop bar to see the view, which was impressive.
A nice walk back to Old Town on a different route showed us more of the city before we crossed through the square, still lively at night.
Burgers for lunch and then Mexican food for dinner at a great restaurant, Agave, right around the corner from our apartment. This wasn’t our healthiest food day. We shared a salad and about half of a quesadillas order, and then back home and in bed early. Tomorrow we make our way to the castle to be at the gates before 9 a.m., then a concert in the evening.
More scenes from the day
Inside the Tyn Church
We stepped inside the Tyn Church, which highlights the Old Town Square. We’ll be in the church tomorrow night for a concert by members of the Prague Philharmonic.
Kim & Betsy 