The story of the Synagogue’s construction
The fate of this imposing structure was troubled right from the beginning. Originally, it was meant to be built in the northern neo-Gothic style as designed by the Viennese architect Fleischer. However, his design was not used in the end. There are two tales explaining why this happened. The first story goes that the governing bodies of the city at that time didn’t like the idea that this new sanctuary to Judaism would cast a shadow on Pilsen’s cathedral. The plans for the towers were shortened by 20 metres and the design changed in such a way to ensure no one would ever mistake the Synagogue for a Christian church. The second explanation is much more prosaic; there simply wasn’t enough money to complete the Viennese architect’s design.
The Great Synagogue today
Pilsen’s Great Synagogue acts as a witness to the rich history of the city’s Jewish community, which was decimated by the Nazis during World War II. Apart from its religious purposes, the Great Synagogue also serves both as a concert and an exposition hall thanks to its great acoustics and unique atmosphere. The reconstruction of the Synagogue’s interior as well as that of the neighbouring rabbi’s home has been recently completed. A newly restored mikveh (a ritual bath used in Judaism) is featured in the basement area. A special exposition is dedicated to this new addition. The guided tours are available for groups only (required boooking in advance).
How is it possible that the Synagogue wasn’t torn down during WWII?
Similar to every country occupied by the Nazis, life inside Pilsen’s Jewish community was brutally hit during the Second World War. A large portion of the community was dragged off to concentration camps, including the Czech camp of Terezín. During the war, the Great Synagogue wasn’t used for religious purposes, rather it became a storage space for Jewish property and later a workshop for repairing German military uniforms. In addition, the Nazis made use of the Synagogue’s towers as strategic, fortified points of the German garrison.
