Great Synagogue (Pilsen)
The Great Synagogue in Pilsen is Europe's second largest synagogue (after the Great Synagogue in Budapest ) and the third largest in the world. It was designed by the architect Emanuel Klotz in a Moorish-Romanesque style. The foundation stone was laid in December 1888, construction was completed in 1893 and the community moved from the old synagogue to the new building.
The original plans by the architect Max Fleischer were rejected by the city council. The reason was, among other things, too huge an appearance compared to the St. Bartholomew's Cathedral on the main market . Klotz retained the floor plan and the overall concept and above all revised the exterior design. The towers were built 20 m lower than originally planned. The building contains elements in the Romanesque style as well as in the neo-Renaissance style . The jewelry is often in an oriental style.
The synagogue survived the Second World War by being used as a warehouse. After the war it was returned to the severely decimated Jewish community. During the communist era, the dilapidated building was closed and the last regular service took place in 1973. After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, the Jewish community did not have enough funds for the necessary maintenance, so the building continued to deteriorate. Between 1995 and 1998, the synagogue was finally completely renovated at great expense. Today the building is also used for cultural events and can be visited.
See also
Web links
- Articles about the synagogue (cz)
- Description of the synagogue (cz / en)
- Virtual tour
- Description with aerial photo (cz)
Coordinates: 49 ° 44 ′ 47.8 " N , 13 ° 22 ′ 22.8" E