High Synagogue, Prague

Synagogue in Prague

CC BY-SA 4.0 / VitVit

Tucked beside the Jewish Town Hall in Josefov, the High Synagogue is an easy building to miss if you are scanning Prague for the dramatic silhouettes that dominate postcards. But pause for a moment and it becomes one of the things to do in Prague for travelers who like their history quieter and more local, where a façade can hint at centuries of community life without demanding attention.

What makes it especially compelling is that it sits at the threshold between sightseeing and living tradition. It is often visited on walking tours of Prague as an exterior stop, and that is exactly how it works best for most visitors today: as a thoughtful pause in the Jewish Quarter that helps you connect the surrounding sites into a single, human story.

History and Significance of the High Synagogue
Things to See and Do in the High Synagogue
How to Get to the High Synagogue
Practical Tips on Visiting the High Synagogue
Where to Stay close to the High Synagogue
Is the High Synagogue Worth Visiting?
FAQs for Visiting High Synagogue
For Different Travelers
Nearby Attractions to the High Synagogue

History and Significance of the High Synagogue

The High Synagogue was commissioned in the late 16th century by Mordechai Maisel, a major figure in Prague's Jewish community whose influence shaped Josefov's civic and religious life. Unlike many synagogues of the period, the prayer hall was placed on the first floor, physically elevated above street level-an architectural decision that gave the building its name and still marks it out as unusual.

The synagogue also carried an administrative role. Beyond worship, it served as a meeting place connected to communal leadership and rabbinic authority, reflecting how closely faith, governance, and daily life were intertwined within the historic Jewish Town.

Its history includes disruption and repair. A major fire in the late 17th century caused severe damage, and later restorations preserved key Renaissance elements, including a vaulted ceiling pattern often noted for its symbolic geometry. In the 19th century the exterior was altered into a more restrained form, but the building’s historical identity remains legible in its proportions and position beside the Town Hall.

In the 20th century, the synagogue’s function shifted away from prayer, and it became linked to museum and exhibition use. Since the late 1990s it has again operated as a place of worship, which is central to understanding why access is limited today: it is not primarily a tourist site, but a functioning religious space.

Things to See and Do in the High Synagogue

For most travelers, the main “visit” is an exterior one, and that is still worthwhile. The building’s understated presence makes more sense when you take in its immediate context: it stands close to the Jewish Town Hall and sits within a compact area where each doorway and corner carries layered meaning.

Look for the cues of elevation that explain its name. The idea of a first-floor prayer hall may seem subtle from the street, but once you notice the building’s vertical organization, you start to see it as a purposeful Renaissance solution rather than a decorative flourish.

Because the High Synagogue is generally not open to casual tourist entry, consider it a linking point in a Josefov walk rather than a destination with a queue. It pairs well with nearby museum sites and the broader Jewish Quarter route, giving you a fuller sense of how worship spaces, civic leadership, and community institutions sat side by side.

How to Get to the High Synagogue

The High Synagogue is located in Josefov near Old Town, and it is easiest to reach on foot once you are in central Prague. It is close to other Jewish Quarter landmarks, so it fits naturally into a walking route from Old Town Square or along the river.

If you are arriving by air, Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG) is the nearest airport, with convenient public transport and taxi/rideshare connections into the center. For the best deals and a seamless booking experience, check out these flights to Prague on Booking.com.

If you are coming by rail, Praha hlavní nádraží (Prague Main Station) has quick links via metro and tram toward the Old Town area, followed by a short walk into Josefov. Train schedules and bookings can be found on Omio.

Long-distance buses usually arrive at Florenc, which is well connected by metro for an easy transfer toward the center.

Driving into Josefov is typically impractical due to limited parking, congestion, and pedestrian streets; it is better to park outside the core and finish by public transport or walking.

Practical Tips on Visiting the High Synagogue

Suggested tips: Treat this as a respectful exterior stop and plan your “inside visits” around the Jewish Museum sites that are designed for tourism.
Best time to visit: Early morning or later afternoon when Josefov is quieter and you can appreciate the setting without crowd pressure.
Entrance fee: N/A
Opening hours: No regular public visiting hours; access is typically limited due to active religious use.
Official website: https://www.kehilaprag.cz/en/tourism/information-for-tourist-detail
How long to spend: 10-15 minutes as part of a Jewish Quarter walk, longer if you are lingering to photograph nearby landmarks and streets.
Accessibility: Streets can be uneven and busy; as an exterior stop it is manageable, but interior accessibility is not typically relevant for general visitors.
Facilities: There are no visitor facilities at the synagogue itself; use nearby cafés and public amenities in Old Town for breaks.
Photography tip: A wide lens helps in Josefov’s tighter streets-step back toward the Town Hall area to frame the synagogue in context.
Guided tours: A Jewish Quarter walking tour is ideal here because guides can explain what you are seeing even when interiors are not accessible.
Nearby food options: Walk a few minutes toward the edges of Josefov or into Old Town for better-value cafés away from the most tour-heavy streets.

Where to Stay close to the High Synagogue

For a central base with easy access to Josefov, Hotel Josef is a modern, comfortable option that keeps you within a short walk of the Jewish Quarter’s key sites. If you want a boutique stay with a calmer feel just outside the busiest streets, Maximilian Hotel is well placed for Josefov and the riverfront. For a more classic Old Town hotel experience with strong walkability, Hotel Kings Court puts you close to transit and an easy stroll from the synagogue area.

Is the High Synagogue Worth Visiting?

Yes, with the right expectations. If you are hoping to go inside, the High Synagogue is unlikely to be the highlight you are looking for, because it typically functions as an active place of worship rather than a public museum space.

But as part of a Josefov walk, it adds real value. It anchors the idea that Prague’s Jewish Quarter is not only a collection of “sites,” but a neighborhood shaped by governance, scholarship, and faith-some of it visible, some of it deliberately private, and all of it deeply rooted.

FAQs for Visiting High Synagogue

In most cases, no-it’s generally not open for casual tourist entry because it functions as an active religious space.

The name refers to its elevated prayer hall, which is located on the first floor above street level.

Yes, it has returned to use as a synagogue and serves the local Jewish community and visiting worshippers.

It’s in Josefov, near the Jewish Town Hall and close to other Jewish Quarter landmarks.

Not typically as a standard tourist interior visit; most museum tickets focus on the synagogues and sites that operate as exhibitions.

Yes, as an exterior stop it adds context to Josefov’s layout and the relationship between civic and religious institutions.

Plan 10-15 minutes as part of a walking route through the Jewish Quarter.

Yes from public streets, but be respectful of worshippers and avoid intrusive behavior near entrances.

It pairs naturally with other Jewish Quarter sites such as the cemetery and museum synagogues, plus a walk toward the river.

Join a Jewish Quarter walking tour or use a well-planned self-guided route that explains its role in community governance and worship.

What Other Travellers Say...

Reviews Summary

4.5 (104)

High Synagogue, at 6 Červená 98 in Staré Město, is a striking, easily spotted synagogue noted for its soaring Gothic-style ceilings and late‑19th‑century remodeling details; it still holds daily morning services though a full minyan isn't always present, and it houses well‑presented exhibits about everyday Jewish life as part of the Jewish Museum—visitors should expect it primarily as a place of worship rather than a regular tourist attraction, so attend during prayer times if you wish to see the interior.

Vladimir Izak Orlovsky

6 years ago

"Mincha without minjan last time, but beautiful service anyway and beautiful beit kneset ☺🤲🏻"

Deniss Židelis

3 years ago

"It is very easy to spot this spectacular and extraordinary building"

I Kremer

7 years ago

"This synagogue still holds daily prayers every morning but unfortunately there isn't always a minyan."

For Different Travelers

Families with Kids

For families, the High Synagogue works best as a short, curiosity-driven stop rather than a long visit. Use it as a point to explain how buildings can have “hidden” features, like a prayer hall above street level, and keep the focus on simple, visible details in the streetscape.

Pair it with more visually immediate sites in Josefov, and avoid making it a make-or-break item since you will likely not be going inside. A compact loop with snack breaks tends to work far better than trying to cover every location exhaustively.

Budget Travelers

Budget travelers can appreciate the High Synagogue as a valuable “free” piece of the Jewish Quarter story. Since it is usually an exterior visit, you can allocate your budget to the museum sites that reliably provide interior access and exhibits.

Plan your walking route to reduce transport costs and maximize what you see on foot. Josefov is compact, and a well-structured loop can deliver a full, satisfying day without extra spending.

History Buffs

History buffs will find this stop meaningful precisely because it is not a conventional tourist interior. Its original role as both a synagogue and a place tied to communal governance speaks to how Jewish life in Prague functioned as a structured civic community within the city.

To deepen the context, pair it with the Jewish Town Hall area and museum exhibits that explain traditions, leadership, and community organization. The High Synagogue becomes more interesting the more you understand its role in the fabric of Josefov.

Nearby Attractions to the High Synagogue

Jewish Town Hall: Noted for its distinctive Hebrew clock and its deep ties to Josefov’s communal administration.
Maisel Synagogue: A key museum site that helps frame Jewish life in Prague through curated exhibits and historical narrative.
Old Jewish Cemetery: An evocative, densely layered burial ground that conveys centuries of community history in a small space.
Klausen Synagogue: A nearby stop focusing on traditions and customs, offering a useful thematic complement to the area's architecture.
Riverfront walk along the Vltava: A calming route for decompression after Josefov, with scenic views and easy connections to the Old Town.

The High Synagogue appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Prague!

Moira & Andy

Hey! We're Moira & Andy. From hiking the Camino to trips around Europe in Bert our campervan — we've been traveling together since retirement in 2020!

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