New Jewish Cemetery

A guided tour of the New Jewish Cemetery at Olšany – the largest Jewish cemetery in Bohemia and Moravia – focusing on the specifics of Jewish burial practices and the most valuable tombstones. Notable figures buried here include prominent rabbis, industrialists, thinkers, and artists, including Franz Kafka.

The tour will address questions about when and why the Olšany cemetery was established, where burials took place before, the role of the burial brotherhood, the duration of grave leases, and the symbols appearing on tombstones. It will also showcase artistically significant works – monuments dating back nearly 150 years as well as recent creations, including works by Jan Kotěra (founder of modern Czech architecture), Josef Zasche (Prague German), and contemporary artists Kurt Gebauer and Jaroslav Róna.

Guides: Kateřina Lopatová & Dana Schlaichertová – art historians and authors of the Architectural Manual of Prague Cemeteries with professional guide licenses. Tour duration: approximately 1.5 hours. Children under 12 free.

Meeting point: at the entrance to the New Jewish Cemetery, Izraelská Street (near Želivského metro station), Prague 3. Men must wear head covering (any type, including a hood); participation without one is not permitted – paper kippot are available on site. Women are asked to dress modestly (covered shoulders, skirts at least to the knee).