Prague’s Golem — Unravel the Clay Guardian’s Curse

Your quest for the Golem begins at the entrance of the Old Jewish Cemetery, Široká 3, Josefov, 110 00 Praha 1, founded around 1439. Here, over 12,000 graves are stacked on several levels, a testament to the prohibition of expanding the site until 1787. This is where Rabbi Loew (Maharal of Prague, 1512-1609) rests, a central figure in the Golem legend and a scholar whose tomb is one of the most visited on the site. A few steps away, the Staronová synagoga, built around 1270, reveals its two asymmetrical Gothic gables. According to legend, Rabbi Loew recited Psalm 92 here on the day he deactivated the Golem. This Jewish Quarter of Prague, a UNESCO 1992 site, is a historical monument in its own right.

Continue your investigation towards the Pinkasova synagoga, built in 1479 and expanded in 1625, located at Široká 3, less than 100m from the cemetery. Since 1959, it has housed the poignant Wall of Names, where the 77,000 names of Czechoslovak Jewish Holocaust victims are inscribed, an essential Holocaust memorial for understanding Jewish history in Bohemia. A permanent exhibition on medieval Jewish life in Prague is also presented there. Nearby, the Klausová synagoga, built in 1694 after the great fire of the Jewish Quarter in 1689, features a Baroque style and has housed the Museum of Jewish Traditions since 1988, exhibiting rituals and festivals. The adjacent building, the 16th-century School House, was where Rabbi Loew taught.

Your path then leads you to Maiselova ulice, a historic cobbled street in Josefov, about 250m from the cemetery, where the Maiselova synagoga stands. Built in 1592 by the wealthy merchant Mordecai Maisel, then rebuilt in 1694 in Baroque style after the 1689 fire, it now houses the Museum of Jewish Objects since 1988, displaying chandeliers and Torah scrolls. Walking up Maisel Street, you'll spot the Španělská synagoga, the newest in the district, built between 1868-1882. Its Neo-Moorish interior, inspired by the Alhambra of Granada, is richly decorated with mosaics and crystal chandeliers, and exhibits the history of Jews in Bohemia from the 10th to the 18th century.

Leaving the historical heart of Josefov, your route takes you to the Rudolfinum, built between 1876-1884. This Neo-Renaissance building, named in honor of Archduke Rudolf of Austria, stands majestically on the banks of the Vltava, at Alšovo nábřeží 12. Its facade is adorned with 31 statues of great composers and artists, testifying to Prague's cultural vibrancy. Although not directly related to the Golem legend, this Czech Philharmonic, renamed 'Haus der Kunst' during the Nazi occupation, represents an important architectural landmark of the city, marking urban evolution beyond the historic Jewish Quarter.

The final stage of your investigation will lead you to the Staroměstská mostecká věž, the Old Town Bridge Tower. Built in 1365, it is a 65m high Gothic access gate to Charles Bridge. From its top, after 138 steps, you will embrace a panoramic view of the entire Josefov, Prague Castle, and medieval Bohemia. It is here, facing the expanse of the city, that you will unravel the last threads of this Jewish legend. This thematic circuit will have allowed you to discover Prague with your family, through a unique GPS treasure hunt, exploring the heritage of Bohemia with an interactive visit that combines real history and augmented reality.