Old New Synagogue Attic

The golem czech republic prague old and new attic ladder architecture design to go old things.

Old new synagogue attic.

Completed in 1270 in gothic style it was one of prague s first gothic buildings. The old new synagogue also called the altneuschul situated in josefov prague is europe s oldest active synagogue. The altneuschul old new synagogue. The emperor understood however that the golem s body stored in the attic of the old new synagogue in prague could be quickly restored to life again if it was ever needed.

The attic of the old new synagogue is fairly small and easy to oversee. It has no hidden corners no niches. The old new synagogue the attic is home of the golem they ve removed the bottom 9 feet of the ladder to stop people from getting in. Accordingly legend says the body of rabbi loew s golem still lies in the synagogue s attic to this very day awaiting the time when it will once again be summoned.

It is also the oldest surviving medieval synagogue of twin nave design. A still older prague synagogue known as the old synagogue was demolished in 1867 and replaced by the spanish synagogue. It is the oldest jewish site in prague and probably the oldest european synagogue still serving its purpose and one of the oldest ones in the world. It s about 15 meters long and 10 meters wide and it feels sort of like a granary.

Even though we didn t expect candle holders piled up in every corner old chests and tons of prayer books the absolute hollowness of the place surprised us. In the attic of the old new synagogue there is a genizah a room or depository in a synagogue or cemetery usually specifically for worn out hebrew language books and papers on religious topics that are to be stored before receiving a proper cemetery burial.