Old Jewish Cemetery

Medieval Jewish cemetery with 12,000 headstones packed into a tiny space

Address U Starého hřbitova 3/1, Prague 1 (Josefov)

The Old Jewish Cemetery in Josefov is one of the most extraordinary sights in Prague — 12,000 surviving headstones crowded into a tiny plot, listing and tilted, many so close together that they lean against each other. The cemetery was in use from the early 15th century until 1787, when Joseph II opened a new burial ground outside the ghetto walls.

The most visited grave is that of Rabbi Loew (1520–1609), the legendary creator of the Golem of Prague. Pilgrims leave small stones and notes on his tomb in the Jewish tradition. The cemetery is part of the Jewish Museum complex; allow at least 45 minutes inside.

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A story
Because the Jewish community was forbidden from expanding the cemetery, graves were stacked in layers over 350 years — some plots hold up to twelve layers of burials. Around 100,000 people may be buried here in a space that would hold a fraction of that number if laid out conventionally.