The Žatec synagogue built in the Moorish style has a troubled history

Prague - A selection of information about the synagogue in Žatec, which opened to the public today after a demanding reconstruction:

- The synagogue in Žatec is the second largest Jewish building in the Czech Republic, originally opened 152 years ago, on March 19, 1872. It has a tumultuous history. It was set on fire during Kristallnacht in 1938, served as a hospital during World War II, and in the 1950s as a civil defense storage facility. Most recently, it became one of four Žatec monuments being restored in connection with the city's candidacy for the UNESCO World Heritage list. Žatec has been on the list since last September.

- The largest building of its kind in the Czech Republic is the Great Synagogue in Plzeň, which is the third largest synagogue in Europe. This monumental structure, with two 45-meter towers and a basilica layout, is about a generation younger than the Žatec synagogue, built between 1890 and 1893 from voluntary donations by the Jewish community of Plzeň.

- The construction of the synagogue in Žatec was linked to the establishment of the local Jewish community. The building, designed in Moorish style by architect Johann Staňek, who also designed a synagogue in neighboring Louny, began construction in 1871. Rabbi Abraham Frank ceremoniously consecrated the new building in March 1872. In 1911, the synagogue was renovated and completely artistically decorated thanks to donations from the Löbl and Glaser families.

- The synagogue is located near the central square. Two prismatic towers with domes stand on the western facade. The interior space is vaulted, with the altar placed under the dome. The gallery surrounding the interior space was designated for women during services. On the southern side, the building of the former Jewish school adjoins the synagogue, which also housed the rabbi's apartment and offices. Žatec - in German Saaz - lay in the occupied Sudetenland and became a border town of the German Reich after Munich, which also determined the fate of the synagogue.

- The destruction of the synagogue came on the night of November 9 to 10, 1938, during the anti-Jewish pogrom known as Kristallnacht. Local Germans set it on fire, but due to fears that the fire could spread to the surrounding buildings, they allowed firefighters to extinguish the fire, which saved the structure, although the interior furnishings were not preserved. During the war, it was used as a military hospital and a support school, and after 1949, it served as a civil defense storage facility and fell into disrepair. However, in 1958 it became a cultural monument.

- In the 1990s, the city partially repaired the synagogue. Due to its excellent acoustics, it was occasionally used for concerts, and filmmakers had long favored it. For example, American actress, singer, and director Barbra Streisand chose it for her 1983 film Yentl. In 2013, the later mayor of Chomutov, Daniel Černý, bought the synagogue for the starting price of 3.6 million crowns at an auction from the city, which had no use for it.

- However, the monument required extensive reconstruction. "The synagogue has always been a public space. When I bought it, I declared that it should remain a public space. I had two more keys made, one I donated to the city of Žatec and the other to the Association of Native People and Friends of the City of Žatec, so they would have access to the synagogue for any cultural and social events," said Černý, a native of Žatec.

- The work was finally able to begin in 2019, thanks to a European grant from the IROP program for the preservation of monuments. The total budget for the project was nearly 56 million crowns, with EU grants covering 85 percent of the costs. Small donors, the city, and the Ústí Region also contributed. Last November, the restoration work on the synagogue and building no. 200 was awarded in the category of Monument Rescue at the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) award ceremony.