Jeruzalémská 1310/7, Nové Město, 110 00 Prague-Prague 1, Czechia
The Jubilee Synagogue (Czech name Jubilejní synagoga), also known as the Jerusalem Synagogue (Jeruzalémská synagoga) due to its location on Jerusalem Street, is an active synagogue in Prague, Czech Republic. It was built in 1906 based on the design of Wilhelm Stiassny and named in honor of the silver jubilee of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I. Although it was originally constructed as a "Reform" synagogue (with an organ and choir), it is currently used by the more traditional ("modern Orthodox") members of the Prague Jewish community, who have officially joined Orthodox Judaism. Nevertheless, compared to another famous active synagogue in Prague, the Old-New Synagogue, the Jubilee Synagogue is in many ways much less strict.
The synagogue is designed in the Moorish Revival style with Art Nouveau decorative elements, especially in the interior. The building was recently restored and still serves religious purposes. Since Czechoslovakia gained independence in 1918, it has been called the Jerusalem Synagogue, as the name "Jubilee Synagogue" refers to the anniversary of Franz Joseph I's reign in the defeated Austro-Hungarian monarchy.
Memorial plaques with inscriptions have been preserved in the synagogue, taken from the former Zigeuner Synagogue, which was demolished during a city renewal campaign that led to the construction of the Jubilee Synagogue.
The inscription above the entrance reads: "זה השער ליי צדיקים יבאו בו" ("This is the gate through which the righteous shall enter").
The facade and shape of the synagogue represent a hybrid mix of Moorish Revival and Art Nouveau, with horseshoe arches on the facade and interior columns supporting women's galleries in the three-story building. Particularly striking is the red-and-white stone facade decoration in the Mudejar style. Inside, the Moorish elements are complemented by shiny Art Nouveau patterns.
After a century of functioning as a house of prayer, except for the period of Nazi German occupation when the building was used to store confiscated Jewish property, on April 1, 2008, the Jubilee Synagogue began regularly opening its doors to tourists and lovers of historic architecture.
Sources:
