Old Jewish Cemetery

The Old Jewish Cemetery is an important historical monument of Prague’s Jewish Town and one of the oldest cemeteries in Prague. The oldest tombstone is the 1439 stone of Rabbi Avigdor Kar. The most recent and last grave was excavated for Mojžíš Lipman Beck in 1787.

Next, we went to the Old Jewish Cemetery where there are 12,000 tombstones dated from 1439-1787. There are over 400,000 ritually buried graves and remains. So many times it had to gain space (since graves are not allowed to be dug up) by providing a new layer of soil here since they were often buried up to 12 people deep. At the cemetery, you are several feet above the street and medieval levels. Retaining walls are necessary to hold the soil and the graves in place. It is the resting place of many prominent rabbis and scholars. I don’t feel it is appropriate to mention any names since every name is important. As far as tombstone designs are concerned, the cemetery has a large range of styles from the 15th (rectangular and engraved), 16th (marble and relief lettering) and 17th (larger) centuries, from Baroque to those more common from the last half of the 19th century.
The animal symbols often represent family names or metaphors for their abilities. Often professions are also represented for scissors (tailor), forceps (doctor), mortar and pestle, books and musical instruments.Read more