High Synagogue
The High Synagogue, known in Czech as Vysoká synagoga, stands out for its position and purpose: a Renaissance-era prayer house raised above ground-floor shops, built between 1568 and completed in 1568, financed by Mordechai Maisel, then Mayor of Prague’s Jewish Town. The building was designed by Pankratius Roder, with Rada as supervising builder, and its central bimah was surrounded by seats, reflecting the community’s religious life within civic constraints. This synagogue is built on Červená ulice (Red Street) and was intentionally placed on the first floor of the Town Hall, accessible only via the hall itself, which is why it earned the name “High” Synagogue. Its ornate Gothic ribbed ceiling contrasts with its Renaissance exterior and Italian-influenced design likely modeled after Kraków’s High Synagogue and Venetian precedents. The 1689 Great Fire caused partial destruction, after which it was rebuilt in 1691. …
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