The restoration of the long-derelict synagogue in the wine-growing town of Svätý Jur, near Bratislava is moving forward — the Bratislava Self-Governing Region (BSK), which owns the building, has chosen the winner of the architectural competition for the project.
The winner, chosen from 18 submissions, is the design from the FVA studio in Bratislava.
“The jury appreciates the quality of the public space that connects Pezinská and Mikovíni streets,” the announcement said.
The proposed pavilion on the border of the neighboring plot echoes the reconstructed building of the synagogue and creates a variable space for the needs of the local community. This proposal best meets the requirements […] with regard to the assignment, conditions of future financing, and further operation of the area in relation to the selected functions. It fully supports the historical significance of the synagogue.
The long-ruined synagogue, located on the eastern edge of the town center, near a small creek, dates from the 18th century and was reconstructed in 1976. After the Shoah, it was in private hands for decades and used for storage. The owner demolished the courtyard and other communal; building that stood around it.
“The synagogue in Svätý Jur has an exceptional place in the context of the historical and cultural heritage of Slovakia,” BSK chairman Juraj Droba added.
This monument has been deteriorating for many years, and the Bratislava Self-Governing Region saved it literally at twelve o’clock. In 2021, we took possession of it, and subsequently rehabilitated and stabilized the building, because the entire roof was in danger of collapsing. By announcing the results of the architectural competition, we are moving further, closer to implementation.
An organized Jewish community in Svätý Jur dates from the 18th century, and the influential Chatam Sofer of Bratislava frequently visited in the early nineteenth century. A memorial in the local park commemorates the 22 local Jewish families killed in the Holocaust.
See extensive information on the BSK web site, including plans and photos of the winning design