OLDEST-- active synagogue in Europe (Old New Synagogue / Staronová synagoga in Prague) - Superlatives on Waymarking.com

The early Gothic Old New Synagogue (CZE: Staronová synagoga; GER: Altneuschule, Altneusynagoge), situated in Josefov district of Prague, is the oldest Europe's active synagogue. It's also the oldest surviving medieval synagogue of twin-nave design.

The Old New Synagogue in Prague is one of the most valuable Jewish historical buildings in Europe. It is the oldest European synagogue still serving its purpose and one of the oldest ones in the world. It was built in the XIIIth century and there are various legends about it, including the legend of Prague monster Golem.

You can find the Old New Synagogue is district Josefov, the former Prague's Jewish Town, which was in a majority demolished in the 19th century and only several historical buildings were kept. Immediately after its construction, the synagogue became the center of Jewish community in Prague and Central Europe. Divine services are held there continually since it was built (it means more than 750 years...), with an exception of the years of Nazi occupation in 1942–1945.

An old legend says, that the Old New Synagogue was built of stones from the Second Temple in Jerusalem demolished in 70 AD. The stones were allegedly brought to Prague by angels. They said, that they have to be given back to Jerusalem when a new temple will be built there after the Messiah will arrive. That is a possible origin of the name of the synagogue: its German name "Altneu" could be a distortion of the Hebrew word "altnai", meaning "provisional, conditioned". Another possibility is that the synagogue was originally called "New" to differ from an old one, not preserved. After years, when other new synagogues were built around and this one was already old, the name changed to the "Old – New Synagogue".