Turnov will begin to renovate the dilapidated synagogue in March

Turnov - The Turnov Town Hall will start repairing the dilapidated synagogue in March, which is the only one in northern Bohemia that survived Nazi attacks. The city obtained funds for the restoration of the historical building, nearly eight million crowns, from the EHP program, which was financed by Norway. Deputy Mayor Hana Maierová told CTK today that the city will invest about three million crowns in the restoration of the monument and neighboring buildings.
    “The tender for the construction contractor was won by the municipal company Status. The roof will be the first priority,” Maierová stated, adding that the repair, including the establishment of new exhibitions, will take 27 months.
    The monument from 1747 served until recently as a warehouse. To consider the restoration of the synagogue, the city had to exchange it for a neighboring house with attractive spaces for business. Before preparing the project for the reconstruction of the synagogue, employees from the National Heritage Institute conducted a structural and historical survey of it.
    In the ground floor of the restored synagogue, the town hall will place a permanent exhibition of the Jewish Museum in Prague, which will map the history of Jewish settlement in the Turnov region. There will also be remnants of the original inventory from the Turnov synagogue. On the first floor, on the balcony, the city plans to hold occasional exhibitions focused mainly on jewelry and crafts. The synagogue will also serve for musical and literary events.
    The restoration of the synagogue will begin with the removal of artificially created foreign elements and the uncovering of original paintings. Builders will need to ensure the building's structural stability. Among other things, they will build new toilets in the yard, create a wooden beam ceiling, repair the framework, roofing, and also plastering. Experts from the Jewish Museum in Prague will oversee the reconstruction process. The synagogue will be included among the monuments in the tourist sightseeing circuit and in the offer of Jewish monuments in the Bohemian Paradise.