This area of Prague was named after the Emperor Joseph II, whose reforms helped to ease living conditions for the Jewish residents. The Jewish Quarter contains the remains of Prague's former Jewish ghetto, including the Old New Synagogue, Maisel Synagogue, the Ceremonial Hall, Pinkas Synagogue, Spanish Synagogue and the Jewish cemetery.

The cemetery was founded in 1478 and is Europe's oldest surviving Jewish cemetery. People had to be buried on top of each other because of lack of space. There are about 12 layers and over 12,000 gravestones. 100,000 people are thought to have been buried here.

There are two figures synonymous with this part of the city, Franz Kafka and the mystical Golem created by Rabbi Low. On Rabbi Low’s tombstone, and others, you will find pebbles that have been placed there as a sign of respect