Mikvah

Jewish Ritual Bath is situated at the former Bath Square, in Mikulov's old Jewish Quarter. The houses that used to stand there were either torn down or were covered up during terrain work.
A parking lot was later built over them. In 2004 plans were made to build residential houses on the site. Before the start of construction, an archeological study was made. In the cellar of one of the original houses a Jewish ritual bath (mikvah) was discovered. Research by archaeologists from the Regional Museum in Mikulov showed that the mikve dates from the later 18th-early 19th century. The Hebrew word mikve has several meanings: a "collection" or "assembly" of water, fishpond, or reservoir. Here it connotes water of natural water (not from a water pipe or treated water) that provides ritual cleanliness.

A mikve should hold at least 762 l of water and be deep enough to allow an adult to completely submerge. During the era of the Temple the bath was used by priests who had become ritually impure. Today the bath is used by observing Jews on the eve of the Sabbath and holidays, especially Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement, the greatest Jewish holiday). According to Jewish law women must sub - merge themselves in the ritual bath before their wedding, after menstruation, and after giving birth. The mikve is also used for submerging converts to Judaism, and for washing dishes and vessels (plates, silverware, pots, etc.) bought from non-Jews.