The first stage of the planned full-scale renovation of the magnificent domed synagogue in Trenčín has been completed, with a permanent exhibition on local Jewish history installed in the sanctuary. The building will be used for religious as well as cultural, educational, and social purposes.
The more than €2 million restoration radically changed the way the spectacular interior of the building had looked for decades, bringing back the original colors and decorative design. The walls and dome are now painted in vivid shades of blue, with colourful painted decoration around the ark and on the vaulting.
The work was presented to the public on May 30.
The synagogue, listed as a national cultural monument, was built in 1913 to replace a wooden synagogue from the 18th century. Designed by Trenčín native Richard Scheibner and his collaborator Hugo Pál, it mixes Byzantine and Art Nouveau styles with a modern reinforced concrete dome construction and is an example of early modernist trends that aimed to reduce decoration while preserving monumental classical forms.
The synagogue was severely damaged during World War II and further damaged under the postwar communist regime, which used it as a clothing warehouse. It was reconstructed in the 1970s and 1980s for use as an arts center, but in a way that destroyed much of the interior decoration.
“We only knew about the original decoration what was preserved in one old painting. We also had one black-and-white photograph from Budapest, but at that time the decoration had already been painted over,” the president of the Trenčín Jewish community, Oľga Hodálová, said on the synagogue’s web site. Archival sources were also used.
The permanent exhibit on Jewish heritage in the central Váh region was designed by the Slovak project partner, the Jewish Cultural Institute. The team plans further research, publication of monograph on the synagogue, development of online resources and educational activities.
“From our point of view, this project is not only about restoring the building, but also about integration into cultural, educational and, of course, tourist activities in the city,” Maroš Borský, who oversaw the exhibition, said on the synagogue’s web site. “The exhibition we have prepared is also the beginning of long-term research into the Jewish cultural heritage in this region.”
The project was funded by EEA and Norway grants amounting to €1,738,102, plus State budget of the Slovak Republic funding of €306,724 and co-financing of the Jewish Religious Community of Trenčín of €252,731.
A second phase of restoration to complete the interior, with a cost estimate of nearly €1 million, is expected to begin once a grant from the budget to develop the infrastructure of the European Capital of Culture in Trenčín, in 2026, comes through. This will include restoration of windows, doors, the women’s gallery, wooden floors, stained glass, and stairways.
So far the exterior of the building has not been renovated. Future plans include restoration of the north wall, roof, and facade — work that would cost approximately €4.5 million.
“From an artistic-historical point of view, the interior decoration can be described as an impressive and unique solution from the beginning of the 20th century in Slovakia,” preservationist Mária Kucmanová said on the project web site. “The challenge for the next few years remains the renewal and restoration of the exterior of the synagogue so that it continues to maintain its place among the urban landmarks of the Trenčín city monument reserve.”
Click here fore more details and photos on the synagogue web site
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