3. Old Jewish Cemetery in Josefov – Prague, Czech Republic
The Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague is the oldest Jewish cemetery in Europe, as it began burying the dead in the early 1400s.
There are over 12,000 tombstones in the graveyard, but there are most likely 100,000 souls actually buried here.
Strict Jewish customs prohibit the removal of gravestones from their original resting places.
As a result of this strict rule, when the cemetery ran out of room, extra layers of dirt were brought in the graveyard. It was placed on top of old grave stones, and new ones were placed above the old.
This resulted in 12 layers of coffins and graves. 12 layers! This cemetery is also home to the man that supposedly created a golem (a Frankenstein monster like creature).
Legend has it, the golem eventually got out of control and Rabbi Loew (his creator) had to stop the creature.
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