The Status Quo synagogue in Trvana, Slovakia was revealed to the public last week after an eight-months’ renovation.
The synagogue, designed by the Viennese architect Jakub Gartner and built in 1897 on Halenárska street, has been used as the Jan Koniarek contemporary arts center since 1994. The building was a ruined shell in 1990 — the restorers who converted it into the gallery two decades ago chose to retain and incorporate evidence of the devastation. The outer appearance was left to look unrestored, and inside, much was deliberately left looking unfinished. This treatment allowed the building to stand not just as a contemporary culture center, but, symbolically, as a memorial to the town’s 2,000 Jews who were murdered in the Shoah. (A large sculptural Holocaust memorial stands outside near the entrance.)
The new, €1 million restoration, carried out by the Trnava Self-Governing region with funding from the EU, to some extent reverses this choice.
The building (which had had to be closed several years ago because of deteriorating condition) has been renovated both inside and out.
The facade and outer walls have been repaired and re-plastered, so that the building no longer looks like a partial ruin. Even the broken tablet of the Ten Commandments at the top of the facade has been repaired.
The interior walls have also been redone, though old fittings have also been left in place. New floors and windows have been installed. Instulation and heating were also installed so that the building can be used year-round and also be energy-efficient. A modern glass elevator has also been placed — right at the entrance to the sanctuary — a decision that local media said had elicited criticism.
The Status Quo synagogue stands across the street from the former Orthodox synagogue — a smaller building that was restored and reopened as an art gallery about five years ago, but was recently transformed into the “Synagogue Cafe” — a cafe-bar that also sometimes hosts cultural events.
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