Jewish Town Hall
On Gingerguide's self-guided Prague audio tour, Jewish Town Hall is a stop worth about ~45 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type historic
- Suggested visit ~45 min
- Prague Prague guide
About Jewish Town Hall
Mordechai Maisel's Renaissance town hall, later rebuilt in Baroque style, is famous for its gable clock lettered in Hebrew, whose hands run counterclockwise to follow Hebrew's right-to-left reading.
The Jewish Town Hall was first built in the 1570s in Renaissance style, financed by the wealthy community leader Mordechai Maisel, and served as the seat of the Jewish self-government. It stands beside the Old-New Synagogue and was rebuilt in its present late-Baroque and Rococo form between 1763 and 1765 by the architect Josef Schlesinger, who added the wooden clock tower.
The building's signature feature is its pair of clocks. The upper tower clock bears Roman numerals and runs clockwise, while a second clock on the gable below, marked with Hebrew letters, has hands that run counterclockwise, following the right-to-left direction of Hebrew. This Hebrew clock was installed in the 1760s, commonly dated 1764. The hall remains the seat of the Prague Jewish community and the Chief Rabbinate and is not generally open to visitors, so it is best appreciated from the street.
Did you know? The gable clock is lettered with Hebrew characters, and because Hebrew reads right to left, its hands run counterclockwise. It may be the only public clock in the world deliberately built to turn backwards.
How much time do you need at Jewish Town Hall?
Around ~45 min works well for Jewish Town Hall — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Jewish Town Hall?
Yes — Jewish Town Hall made the cut as one of 35 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Prague. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Prague
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about Jewish Town Hall and read more:
Day 2 of the Prague in 2 days itinerary →Day 2 of the Prague in 3 days itinerary →
Updated:
Hear the story of Jewish Town Hall
Preview the Prague tour free in the Gingerguide app.