238:
335:
the cemetery and so many times it had to gain space in other ways; if necessary, a new layer of soil was heaped up on the available area. For this reason, there are places where as many as twelve layers now exist. Thanks to this solution the older graves themselves remained intact. However, as new levels were added it was necessary either to lay over the gravestones associated with the older (and lower) graves to protect them, or else to elevate the stones to the new, higher surface. This explains the dense forest of gravestones that one sees today; many of them commemorate an individual who is buried several layers further down. This also explains why the surface of the cemetery is raised several meters higher than the surrounding streets; retaining walls are necessary to hold the soil and the graves in place.
939:
299:
43:
655:
230:
334:
During the more than three centuries in which it was in active use, the cemetery continually struggled with the lack of space. Piety and respect for the deceased ancestors does not allow the Jews to abolish old graves. Only occasionally the Jewish community was allowed to purchase grounds to expand
382:, false portals, etc.) began to increase. Most decorated gravestones are 17th century. However, on every gravestone there are Hebrew letters that inform about the name of the deceased person and the date of his or her death or burial. Copious praise of deceased' virtues appears beside brief
386:("of blessed memory") in Renaissance time. From the 16th century the gravestones characterize the deceased also through various symbols, hinting at the life, character, name or profession of the people (see the tables below for details).
286:
We know that the history of the Old
Cemetery started before the old one being closed, but the exact date when it was founded is unknown. The only clue is the oldest gravestone in the cemetery from 1439 which belongs to
237:
984:
310:
Starting at the middle of the 15th century, the gravestones record is a continual time line of burials. The final gravestone is dated 1787; three years earlier, the
188:. It served its purpose from the first half of the 15th century until 1786. Renowned personalities of the local Jewish community were buried here; among them rabbi
816:(died 1628) is probably the most representative on the cemetery. The lions seated on the gables of the tumba do not symbolize the name Judah; they carry the
920:
PAŘÍK, Arno a
Vlastimila HAMÁČKOVÁ, Pražské židovské hřbitovy = Prague Jewish Cemeteries = Prager jüdische Friedhöfe, Praha: Židovské muzeum v Praze, 2008.
974:
959:
954:
99:
292:
805:
Judah, also called
Maharal, wrote numerous religious and philosophical treatises. His name is also connected with legends; a legend about
845:(1591–1655), a physician and a remarkable scholar born in Crete, who worked in many scientific fields and lived in many places in
681:
and other significant Jewish figures of the 16th century, a mathematician, astronomer, geographer and historian, whose chronicle
979:
964:
832:. A grave of this successful businessman cannot, however, be found on Prague Cemetery, because he died and was buried in
773:) were buried children who died before the age of one month. Remains and gravestones found during construction of
184:, which is one of the largest of its kind in Europe and one of the most important Jewish historical monuments in
780:
The oldest tumba on the cemetery belongs to a businessman, benefactor and renowned public person of the ghetto
302:
The Old Jewish
Cemetery Prague, by Alexander von Swiezewski, end of the 19th century. In the collection of the
969:
315:
363:
times. It is generally more representative than the first mentioned kind and resembles a little house. Such
303:
92:
801:(1512–1609) and his wife rest under another tumba, decorated with symbols of a lion and wine grapes.
696:(d. 1589) – marks the place of eternal rest of important Prague Jewish printers. One of their works,
351:– the older is a slab of wood or stone, basically rectangular, but with various endings at the top.
152:
841:
271:
712:
205:
201:
374:
The oldest gravestones on Old Jewish cemetery are plain, yet very soon the number of ornaments (
797:
678:
311:
189:
322:
reasons. Later Prague Jews used a cemetery in Žižkov, founded in the 17th century because of
274:
in 1478 because of complaints of Prague citizens. Later it disappeared under the streets of
904:
8:
451:
422:
217:
20:
716:(1664–1736). His book collection constitutes an important part of the Hebrew section of
938:
19:
This article is about the old Jewish cemetery in Prague. For the
Umberto Eco book, see
825:
748:
721:
298:
833:
787:
759:
717:
323:
275:
267:
42:
782:
770:
193:
173:
654:
266:– its predecessor was so-called "Jewish Garden“ located in the area of present
181:
165:
85:
948:
930:
821:
344:
229:
114:
101:
47:
Thousands of gravestones are crammed into the Old Jewish
Cemetery in Prague.
934:
817:
766:
664:
243:
212:
744:
673:
197:
707:
on the top of the front wall, which refers to name David, belongs to
367:
commemorate on the cemetery for example
Maharal or Mordecai Maisel.
829:
758:(d. ca. 1545), the richest Jew of his time, who initiated building
704:
375:
74:
663:
A small gravestone with triangular ending and engraved symbols of
371:
do not contain the remains; they are buried underneath in ground.
360:
319:
251:
153:
https://www.jewishmuseum.cz/en/explore/sites/old-jewish-cemetery/
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774:
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447:
383:
379:
263:
185:
177:
134:
806:
802:
793:
736:
728:
708:
418:
288:
262:
The Old Jewish
Cemetery is not the first Jewish cemetery in
850:
651:
This list follows the numbering of the plan on the right.
893:. Praha: Pražská informační služba. 2000. pp. 4–5.
204:(1664–1736). Today the cemetery is administered by the
658:
Orientation plan of the Old Jewish
Cemetery of Prague
839:The last tumba to be mentioned covers the grave of
985:National cultural monuments of the Czech Republic
743:of the Prague Ghetto in 1389 is still recited on
946:
790:in the Jewish quarter which is named after him.
735:(died 1439) is the oldest on the cemetery. His
329:
318:had banned burials inside the city walls for
233:Lion – herald on gravestone of Hendl Bassevi.
270:. This cemetery was closed by order of King
16:Cemetery with burials from the 1400s to 1786
754:A high rectangular gravestone commemorates
975:Cemeteries established in the 15th century
937:
653:
297:
236:
228:
960:Jewish cemeteries in the Czech Republic
955:15th-century establishments in Bohemia
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221:, the novel which was named after it.
874:
470:
435:Fertility, a good, prosperous life
777:were transferred to this place, too.
528:Naftali (Gn 49, 29). Tzvi or Hirsch
496:Arye, Leib or Yehudah (see Gn 49,9)
877:Historie Židů v Čechách a na Moravě
13:
765:On the hill Nephele (nephele is a
727:A plain rectangular gravestone of
671:means goose in German) belongs to
14:
996:
924:
646:
190:Jehuda Liva ben Becalel – Maharal
41:
677:(1541–1613), a contemporary of
897:
891:Starý židovský hřbitov v Praze
883:
868:
700:, was known throughout Europe.
338:
257:
144:The Jewish Community in Prague
65:first half of the 15th century
1:
980:Tourist attractions in Prague
861:
688:A gravestone of Gersonides –
211:The cemetery is mentioned in
192:(ca. 1526–1609), businessman
879:. Praha: Sefer. p. 593.
685:includes also Czech history.
587:Zeev or Benjamin (Gn 49,27)
506:Tzipora, Feigele or Taubele
304:Jewish Museum of Switzerland
281:
250:by Knackstedt & Näther,
241:Some gravestones about 1900;
7:
931:Old Jewish Cemetery, Prague
10:
1001:
965:Jews and Judaism in Prague
824:. He was the first Jew in
392:Religious Characteristics
359:– tent) appears later, in
330:Space and burial in layers
224:
200:(ca. 1541–1613) and rabbi
18:
690:Mordecai Katz ben Gershom
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413:A pair of blessing hands
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842:Joseph Solomon Delmedigo
786:(1528–1601). He built a
756:Aharon Meshulam Horowitz
739:which describes a great
692:(died 1592) and his son
246:as colored postcard No.
34:
560:Yissachar, Dov or Beer
343:There are two kinds of
206:Jewish Museum in Prague
196:(1528–1601), historian
798:Judah Löw ben Betzalel
659:
307:
254:
234:
170:Starý židovský hřbitov
169:
35:Starý židovský hřbitov
905:"Old Jewish Cemetery"
875:Pěkný, Tomáš (2001).
812:A tumba belonging to
657:
347:monuments (in Hebrew
312:enlightened sovereign
301:
240:
232:
115:50.08972°N 14.41722°E
970:Cemeteries in Prague
406:A good reputation
820:of Hendl's husband
809:is the most famous.
450:, a descendant of
395:Personal Qualities
218:The Prague Cemetery
162:Old Jewish Cemetery
111: /
29:Old Jewish Cemetery
21:The Prague Cemetery
660:
454:helpers of Cohens
442:A jug and a bowl
421:, a descendant of
308:
268:New Town of Prague
255:
235:
120:50.08972; 14.41722
830:title of nobility
749:Old-New Synagogue
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643:
619:David or Menahem
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760:Pinkas Synagogue
718:Bodleian Library
467:Name or By-name
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826:Habsburg Empire
783:Mordecai Maisel
713:David Oppenheim
703:A tumba with a
649:
543:Harp or Violin
341:
332:
324:plague epidemic
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260:
242:
227:
202:David Oppenheim
194:Mordecai Meisel
174:Jewish cemetery
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925:External links
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828:to receive a
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822:Jacob Bassevi
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814:Hendl Bassevi
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472:Profession
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430:Wine grapes
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272:Vladislaus II
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935:Find a Grave
908:
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818:coat of arms
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733:Avigdor Kara
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293:Avigdor Kara
285:
261:
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216:
210:
161:
159:
767:miscarriage
683:Cemah David
665:Magen David
548:Musician
355:(in Hebrew
339:Gravestones
258:Predecessor
244:Stereoscopy
213:Umberto Eco
118: /
93:Coordinates
62:Established
949:Categories
862:References
745:Yom Kippur
674:David Gans
639:Butcher
198:David Gans
106:14°25′02″E
103:50°05′23″N
788:synagogue
731:and poet
614:Hexagram
607:Tailor
602:Scissors
516:Cantor
484:Female
376:pilasters
349:matzevot)
291:and poet
282:Evolution
705:hexagram
694:Betzalel
565:By-name
425:priests
320:hygienic
316:Josef II
314:Emperor
306:.
276:New Town
141:Owned by
75:Prague 1
70:Location
679:Maharal
597:Maisel
570:Lancet
380:volutes
361:baroque
252:Hamburg
225:History
172:) is a
149:Website
82:Country
57:Details
855:Africa
847:Europe
771:Hebrew
741:pogrom
722:Oxford
624:Goose
592:Mouse
452:temple
448:Levite
423:temple
401:Crown
384:eulogy
369:Tumbas
365:tumbas
264:Prague
186:Prague
178:Prague
135:Judaic
807:Golem
803:Rabbi
794:Rabbi
737:elegy
729:rabbi
709:rabbi
634:Calf
629:Gans
582:Wolf
555:Bear
538:Rosa
533:Rose
523:Deer
511:Book
501:Bird
491:Lion
479:Male
419:Cohen
353:Tumba
289:rabbi
166:Czech
853:and
851:Asia
669:gans
357:ohel
160:The
131:Type
933:at
769:in
747:in
720:in
248:782
215:'s
176:in
951::
907:.
849:,
378:,
326:.
295:.
278:.
208:.
180:,
168::
911:.
857:.
836:.
762:.
751:.
724:.
164:(
23:.
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