Jubilee Synagogue

Jubilee Synagogue, also known as Jerusalem Synagogue is not only the youngest Synagogue in Prague, it’s also the prettiest. Its history is short and tragic, as its congregants were shipped off to concentration camps in the Holocaust less than four decades after its construction in 1906. Like its fellow Spanish Synagogue, the Jubilee Synagogue was constructed in the Moorish revival style, though being the most modern synagogue; it also shows some Art Nouveau flair in its intricate, curved motifs and elements featured in its red, blue, and gold interior. The Jubilee Synagogue is really architecturally quite interesting, as it feels like a quirky, fascinating blend of East and West, the product of so-called “Oriental” design in the West, a move to differentiate the Jews from their Christian neighbors. The outside façade is also extremely striking, with bright blue arches and red and white stripes, with columns evocative of the Grand Mosque of Cordoba in Spain. During Communism, the Jubilee Synagogue was the center of the admittedly very small Jewish community remaining in Prague after World War II; tourists can wander through the surprisingly enthralling museum exhibits on the upper floor featuring the history of the Jewish community during Communism. Today, it remains an active house of worship, but fear not: visitors, Jews and non-Jews alike, are very much welcome.