Prague: The Spanish Synagogue

From Germany we went to Prague in Czechia (another name for the Czech Republic). After getting settled in our hotel, we met with a Tours by Locals guide to explore some of the important Jewish sites in the city. Perhaps most impressive, though not necessarily most important, was the Spanish Synagogue.  

From Wikipedia: "The Spanish Synagogue is the newest synagogue in the area of the so-called Jewish Town; it was in fact built at the site of the presumably oldest synagogue, Old School (also known as Altshul). The synagogue is built in Moorish Revival Style. ... Today, the Spanish Synagogue is administered by the Jewish Museum in Prague."

The Spanish Synagogue is so elaborate, so beautiful, and so sumptuous, that I feel it deserves several postings here, which will be forthcoming over the next few days.

Downtown Heidelberg and the Neckar River

 

Heidelberg Castle Pharmacy

Walgreens would be jealous.

Heidelberg Castle Exterior

Since our tour of medieval Jewish sites in southwestern Germany brought us near Heidelberg, we spent  a couple of hours in visiting the town and expecially its splendid Renaissance castle. These will be our subjects for the next several days of this blog.

Ritual Bath of Speyer

Speyer is the last of the Schum cities that we visited. A chronology of the Jewish settlement in the Middle Ages was posted on an interior wall of the ritual bath (mitvah).

Mainz Cemetery

After Wurms on our tour of the Schum cities, we went to Mainz to see the Jewish cemetery. It is one of the most beautiful and atmospheric we have seen.

Lunch along the River Rhine

On the way from Wurms to Mainz.