We wrote in 2020 about the restoration of the exterior of the synagogue in Karcag, Hungary….Now that restoration is up for an award — and you can help by voting for it.
The award is question is sponsored by the Baumit multinational, which describes itself as “the most successful building materials brand in Europe,” with branches in 25 countries, including Hungary.
Every two years, Baumit sponsors the “Life Challenge” award for facades of buildings constructed or restored with its materials. Awards are presented in six different categories, as well as a grand prize. The facades of some 300 buildings from 23 countries are in the running.
The facade of the Karcag synagogue is among 48 in the Historical Renovation category — and it is the only synagogue.
A jury of experts judges the facades — but the public is also encouraged to vote for their favorites, and this will have an impact on the final result.
The awards will be presented at a ceremony in Valencia, Spain on May 22.
Click here to search the list and vote for the Karcag synagogue facade
The synagogue, designed Bolgár Blaum, was inaugurated in 1899, and a major focus of the .70 million forint (around €200.000) renovation carried out in 2019-20 was to restore the original color of the facade.
Barbabás Csillag, head of the small but active local Jewish community, told local TV that research by the Monuments Protection Authority had established that the original color of the synagogue was light beige with darker trim, and not ocher, as it had been repainted after WWII, nor two-tone yellow, as it was painted as part of large-scale restoration works that took place in the early 2000s.
He said one third of the funds for restoration had been granted by the Hungarian government, while the remaining two thirds were provided by MAZSIHISZ, the umbrella organization of the Hungarian Neolog community.