Jewish Quarter. Jewish Quarter in Prague is a truly special place. In the XIII century the Old-New Synagogue was built here. This is the oldest surviving synagogue in Europe. At that time, the Jewish population of the city was mostly involved in trading and was driven from the political life of the Christian population of Prague. Jews were forced to live outside the city. They got civil rights only in 1848, and two years later the quarter became the official part of Prague. It was the fifth district, known as "Joseph". By 1900 most of the houses in the Jewish quarter were demolished because of their poor state. Only the town hall, six synagogues and a cemetery survived. Today, these objects form the so called National Jewish Museum. A visit to the Jewish cemetery will also leave many unforgettable memories . Until the XV century Jews were forbidden to bury dead people outside the city walls. Because of this all burials were made on a small piece of land that once was a cemetery. In total, the graveyard contains twelve thousand gravestones and more than ten thousand people lie there. In some parts of the graveyard the dead are buried in 12 rows above each other.
The Prague Castle. The Charles Bridge features a fantastic view of the fortress and the Prague Castle . This is one of the most visited places in Prague. The fortress, in its turn, offers a fantastic view of the city. The construction of the castle was started in approximately 880 and was conducted in a variety of architectural styles. The Cathedral of St. Vitus also belongs to the fortress. Its construction was started in 1344, and was completed in 1929. The cathedral is the location of the biggest bell not only in Prague, but also throughout the Czech Republic. The weight of the bell is 17,000 kg. The castle, the cathedral, the triforium, numerous buildings and gardens - all of them occupy a huge territory. It is absolutely not necessary to try to see all these sights in one go - the entrance ticket is valid for three days.
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