Staronová synagóga (Old-New Synagogue, or Altneuschul)

Staronová synagóga (Old-New Synagogue, or Altneuschul) Review

Dating from the mid-13th century, this is one of the most important works of early Gothic in Prague. The name refers to the legend that the synagogue was built on the site of an ancient Jewish temple, and the temple's stones were used to build the present structure. The entrance, with its vault supported by two pillars, is the oldest part of the synagogue. Amazingly, the synagogue has survived fires, the razing of the ghetto, and the Nazi occupation intact; it's still in active use. As the oldest functioning synagogue in Europe, it's a living storehouse of Bohemian Jewish life. Note that men are required to cover their heads inside, and during services men and women sit apart.