Renovation of the former synagogue in Barczewo as a multi-purpose district cultural center will proceed thanks to grants from the Polish government and the “Most the Most” Foundation.
An allocation of 1,274,000 zloty (c. €286,000) by the Government Program for the Reconstruction of Monuments was announced this past week. This followed the Most the Most grant in October of 1 million zloty (c. €225,000).
Further funding will come from the city.
The aim is to renovate and adapt the building, already used for cultural purposes, as a year-round centre for cultural and educational events and initiatives. This includes the installation of modern, energy-efficient heating and solar panels as well as structural repairs and conservation and restoration works inside the building.
Local media reported that a tender has already been announced.
As we posted earlier, the Olsztyn county district administration took over the ownership of the building in 2021. It had been administered as an art gallery since 1980 by the Pojezierze Social and Cultural Association, which continues to operate there. Under the restoration, the building will be expanded into a broader, inter communal cultural center that will host concerts, meetings, and other events.
The synagogue, with a flat roof and large arched windows, was built in the 1890s and closed for worship and sold to private owners in 1937. It survived WW2 and is the only standing synagogue building in the local Warmia region in the north of Poland.
This post updates our post from July 20, 2021 about the district assuming ownership
See a drone video of the synagogue: