Maisel Synagogue
The Maisel Synagogue (in Czech Maiselova synagoga ) is a synagogue built in the 17th century and now profaned in the Maiselgasse (Maiselova) 10 in Prague's Jewish quarter of Josefstadt . It is part of the Jewish Museum and presents the Jewish history of Bohemia from the 10th to the 18th century.
history
In 1590 the banker and primate of the Jewish community Mordechai Maisel bought a piece of land in the south of Prague's Jewish city in order to have his own private synagogue built there. In 1591 he was granted the necessary special rights by Emperor Rudolf II . The synagogue was inaugurated in 1592. The plans came from Juda Tzoref de Herz . At the time, the Maisel Synagogue was the largest in Prague. It was built in the Renaissance style and had 20 pillars. Mordechai Maisel furnished them richly with ritual objects. A flag, which he owned after the model of the Old New Synagogue through a further privilege of Rudolf II, was also housed here.
The original, splendid building fell victim to a fire in 1689 that destroyed large parts of the district. The synagogue was rebuilt by 1691, but reduced by a third and structurally changed with a barrel vault . The side aisles were given galleries in the new construction.
From 1862 to 1864 the Maisel Synagogue was rebuilt by the architect J. M. Wertmüller. Finally, from 1895 to 1905, it received its current neo-Gothic appearance based on plans by Alfred Grotte . Due to the changes in the street network that resulted from the renovation of the run-down Jewish town, the entrance was moved from the east side to the west side.
During the Second World War , “Aryanized” Jewish property was stored in the Maisel Synagogue .
Since 1955 the synagogue has been under the administration of the Jewish Museum. After it was initially a museum depot, it was renovated in 1963/64. From 1965 to 1988 there was a permanent exhibition on Jewish cult objects from Bohemia and Moravia. After the closure and renewed renovation in 1994/95, an exhibition on the older Jewish history of Bohemia has been on view here since 1996. In 2014/15 the building was technically renovated and the historical color scheme of the facade was restored.
literature
- Arno Pařík: Jewish Prague . 3rd edition, Jewish Museum, Prague 2005.
- Arno Pařík: Prague synagogues . Jewish Museum, Prague 2005.
- Podiebrad, David D. Antiquities of Prague's Josefstadt, Israelite cemetery, old-new school and other synagogues. Podebrady, Prague 1870
Web links
- Jewish Museum in Prague : The Maisel Synagogue , accessed on August 21, 2008
Old New Synagogue | High Synagogue | Jerusalem Synagogue | Klausen Synagogue | Maisel Synagogue | Pinkas Synagogue | Spanish synagogue
Coordinates: 50 ° 5 ′ 19.6 " N , 14 ° 25 ′ 7.4" E