Sunday 4 March 2012

Old Jewish Cemetery



Prague, Czech Republic

The Old Jewish Cemetery was established in the first half of the 15th century and burials took place until 1787. It contains about 12,000 tombstones but, as several layers are placed on top of each other, the number of persons buried here is much greater.
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My contribution to Taphophile Tragics

33 comments:

Diane said...

I am not sure that I have ever seen a Jewish Cemetery, I really like this photo, Diane

Dina said...

Such a special place.
We had to leave the Jewish museum quickly last time I was there because Prague was being flooded.

Sylvia K said...

What an incredible capture, JM! Very moving sight. We never see anything here in the states like the history you've shown us today! Thank you!

Sylvia

Travel France Online said...

Quite an impressive photo and what a concentration of tombstones!

Anita Otrebski said...

I like this photos...

Have a nice week JM! ; )

Andrea said...

This is another amazing photos from your travels, a bit morbid but beautiful photo, informative about the country too. I just learned that a friend is now in Prague, one country i passionately wish to see in this lifetime. However, it seems i am still deprived of reaching it! I told my friend i am very envious.

Anonymous said...

Moving and fascinating. Imagine the history buried there.

Teamgsquare said...

Very nice pictures ... Nice to know about this cemetery .

Cezar and Léia said...

Impressive green in the first picture!Great shots!
Léia

FilipBlog said...

Looks like a fascinating place. What is the name of the cemetery? I am going to Prague soon.

Greetings,
Filip

Lowell said...

This is a very dramatic post...pretty amazing those tombstones have been there that long. Especially in the 2nd shot, the tombstones look rather like robed people walk away from you!

Cobalt Violet said...

Beautiful photos ...

Halcyon said...

Really beautiful! It reminds me of the oldest Jewish cemetery in Berlin.

http://halcyontravels.blogspot.com/2011/04/jewish-cemetery.html

hamilton said...

This makes me think of those old towns that are build with no plan in mind - all the buildings and lanes wherever they fit.

Ann said...

What a beautiful place.

Sondra said...

Elbow room only....wow its awesome!!! the stones seem to be in pretty good shape considering the age.!

Joan Elizabeth said...

The headstones are so tightly packed I wondered if the bodies were buried vertically! Thanks for the explanation.

SeaThreePeeO said...

Stunning pictures. Such history as well.

Herding Cats


http://seathreepeeo.blogspot.com

Photo Cache said...

you captured a very moving picture. so surreal. i wouldn't know how i would feel if i were there. thanks for sharing.

Oakland Daily Photo said...

I've never seen a cemetery this crowded before. Probably due to historical restrictions about where Jews could be buried. This is an incredible sight.

Deb said...

Great picture, the stones look like old friends gathered together for a reunion.

Melbourne Australia Photos said...

Beautiful photos of this very old cemetery. Quite a crowding of tombstones!

My photos of the Athens 1st Cemetery are here:

http://nixpixmix.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/first-cemetery-of-athens-2.html

Kathy said...

Amazing photos and an amazing bit of history.

CaT said...

ohmy oh my. what beautiful pictures.
what an enormous amount.. :) i visited some jewish cemeteries here. i found them quite stuffed. but not like this!

Stefan Jansson said...

Nice photos of this cemetery.

Pooch Purple Reign said...

generally, I like old cemeteries.... these pics are really quite beautiful
~laura

cieldequimper said...

Oh yes. I saw this under a thick layer of snow a few years back. I didn't dare take photos...

Arija said...

A poignant post. I am sorry we missed being there while in Prague. Thank you for taking me there anyway.

Julie said...

Now I have seen photographs recently of this cemetery, and i thought maybe they came from you. But now think maybe they were from Biebriekels or SC (her husband) from Holland. It is a remarkable sight this, Jose. It contrasts very well with the 'Sleepy Hollow' cemetery that CaT has shown us this week just outside of Boston, Ma.

TexWisGirl said...

wow. amazing shots.

Francisca said...

Now that is one crowded cemetery! But bustling with character.

Dom said...

Been to quite a few ones but all of them were smaller than this. First shot is amazing!

Red Angel said...

Obrigada, pela (tua) partilha de novas fotos e pela (tua) descrição.

Sabes que, realmente esse é um local carregado de mistérios ao longo da sua história. Já li, em pelos menos 3 livros, alusões a esse cemitério. Pena não teres uma foto com os tais pássaros que referiste… Tenho a certeza que daria uma excelente foto: Um final de tarde, um cemitério judeu antigo e corvos seria uma foto notável dessa imagem surreal de que te lembras…

Já agora, no ocidente o Corvo adquiriu uma simbologia um tanto sinistra ligada à morte e ao mau-agoiro. Aliás Shakespeare faz inúmeras menções ao corvo como ave mau-agourenta. É verdade que esta é uma ave de uma inteligência sensitiva extraordinária, mas não creio que seja para a morte. Por exemplo, é sabido que os corvos recolhem-se sempre que há iminência de chuvas fortes. Não os vês nos céus, não os ouves, não os sentes e horas depois começa a tempestade… Curioso não é?
:)