Travel Stories - Czech Republic

In the central square (the Charles Square) I buy some snacks and eat it in the sun on the terrace and then walk towards the "basilica". This is on the other side of the river "Jihlava" and lies on the edge of the Jewish quarter with which it is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Construction began in the 13th century and the building was first an abbey. First I arrive at the beautiful wooden carved front door with a porch of stone arches - this is called the Paradise gate, and that’s exacly how it looks like. The courtyard is surrounded by white buildings with orange roof tiles and in the middle a beautiful old tree. It looks like a wedding is going on in the field a bit further away. The highlight of the "Basilica of Saint Prokop" as it is called full is the Gothic crypt that I see everywhere in the leaves.

I leave the Romanesque building behind me and walk into the Jewish quarter which is also indicated on a sign in German - "Juden Viertel" - which remains a remarkable sight (concerning WW2). In the district, which is compressed between the river and the hill "Hradek" behind it, this is a unique Jewish city in Europe - 123 former Jewish houses with extra information on the façades. Immediately I stand for one of the synagogues which, as always, are virtually unremarkable. I only see a "menorah" drawn on the paving stones. I do not really know what I expect but it is not very special but I know it is unique in Europe - just nice to see - small narrow streets with cobbled stones and here and there some information signs on the wall. There are two synagogues in total, a school, a rabbinate, a hospital and a hospice. One of the most striking things is a small passage through the houses that leads to the river. I find a stone staircase leading up the "Hradek" hill where I hear an annoying microphone. Halfway down the stairs and you can go up a narrow path - I decide here to sit on a stone and enjoy the view over the city. Eventually I climb further up and understand now what all the commotion is about - there is a running race going on. But where is the Jewish cemetery then? 

I see in the distance the colored Communist-looking apartment blocks and there is a valley where a stone wall stands for - there the cemetery must be. Unfortunately, because of the game I have to walk around it completely but I do not come for nothing even though it is Saturday - the gate is open. First thing I see are some new gravess - I walk along the plateau and see that the cemetery is sloping a bit down into the valley and that many graves are very crooked on the slope. The further I walk, the older the graves become - the oldest seems to date from 1636. It is now a shame that the sun shines because such a place you have to see when it rains and/or in foggy weather. In a brochure of the information center I read that there are about 3000 graves here and that the complex is supplemented with graves from the First and Second World War. It is interesting to see - those old rusty fences around some graves - the pine trees and the green leaves that grow almost on the ground and give the whole a mystical atmosphere.  

It is not for nothing that this cemetery, which is one of the best kept Jewish cemeteries in the Czech Republic and Moravia, is on the UNESCO list. Standing at the end or very small stones or pieces are bare because the stones have been removed because they really got too old. I let the place work on me for a moment when I sit down on a piece of rock near the surrounding wall. Especially when the sun shines through the foliage, there is a magical light on the tombstones often covered with moss. I order some kind of diner at the kiosk next to the temporary race-track with a beer and enjoy the sunshine before I go back to my hostel for the night.