Who initiated the construction of the synagogue?

Mordechai Maisel initiated construction after receiving building privileges from Emperor Rudolf.

What architectural style defines the building today?

The structure features Gothic Revival styling following historic renovations led by architect Alfred Grotte.

What subject does the permanent exhibition address?

The exhibition explores the history of Jewish communities in the Czech lands up to the Enlightenment.

Who owns and manages the site?

Ownership rests with the Jewish Community of Prague, while administration is handled by the Jewish Museum in Prague.

Who originally designed the synagogue?

Judah Coref de Herz designed the architectural plans, and builder Josef Wahl realized the construction.

How was the synagogue used during the wartime occupation?

The building functioned as a depository for stored possessions belonging to Jewish communities in the Czech lands.

Prague · Czech Republic

Maisel Synagogue: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

Residents living beside the former Jewish quarter share their daily route with museum crowds gathered outside Maisel Synagogue.

Maisel Synagogue · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Exchange rateKč 21.71per 1 $CZK — the local currencyas of Nov 2, 2026

Worth a day trip

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About the place

Maisel Synagogue preserves the architectural memory of the historic Jewish ghetto through periods of fire, confiscation, and revival.

Mordechai Maisel, a court benefactor and merchant, secured an imperial privilege from Emperor Rudolf to erect a private synagogue in the Jewish ghetto. Designed by Judah Coref de Herz and constructed by Josef Wahl, the hall stood as the most prominent sanctuary in the district. Posthumous imperial confiscation led to lengthy trials before the property returned to communal control, followed by repeated fires and a Gothic Revival rebuild.

Read on

Wartime occupation turned the interior into a storehouse for confiscated possessions gathered from regional Jewish communities. After the conflict, the Jewish Museum in Prague managed the building as a depository and later as a dedicated gallery for silver Judaica. Modern restoration following the Velvet Revolution repaired long-standing structural decay, creating space for permanent historical exhibitions.

Associations

Mordechai MaiselCourt businessman who funded the original construction through an imperial grant.
Silver JudaicaCurated metalwork collections filled the sanctuary before structural repairs began.
Wartime StorageOccupying authorities stored seized cultural items from regional synagogues inside.
Jewish Museum in PragueThe municipal museum administration manages the site and curates its exhibitions.

Facts

The building belongs to the Jewish Community of Prague and operates under the Jewish Museum in Prague.
Emperor Rudolf granted an imperial privilege allowing Mordechai Maisel to build the private synagogue.
Judah Coref de Herz designed the original architectural layout realized by builder Josef Wahl.
Alfred Grotte oversaw a comprehensive reconstruction that gave the structure its Gothic Revival appearance.

Updated September 10, 2026Source: Wikipedia

Maisel Synagogue: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

What is around42

Maisel Synagogue preserves the architectural memory of the historic Jewish ghetto through periods of fire, confiscation, and revival.

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