Synagoga / Synagogue - Žatec (North-West Bohemia) - Wikipedia Entries on Waymarking.com

The synagogue in Žatec, the second largest synagogue in Bohemia after the Great Pilsen Synagogue, was built in the Moorish style according to the plans of architect Johann Stanek in the years 1871-1872.

It is a single-nave building with an apse, in the western facade of which, with a risalit, stand two prismatic towers with domes. The ceiling of the interior is formed by a barrel vault. The first renovation of the synagogue, during which interior murals were made (some in 1883), took place in 1911.

The synagogue was burned down during Kristallnacht on November 10, 1938, but because the local Germans feared that the fire might jump to the surrounding area, they allowed local firefighters to put out the fire, which saved the synagogue, but the interior was not preserved. Since then, however, the building no longer serves its purpose. During World War II, it was used as a military hospital and auxiliary school, and after 1949 it served as a Civil Defense depot and fell into disrepair.

The Žatec Municipal Office, as the owner of the building, proceeded to the necessary repairs to the building in 1997. Static securing, truss repairs, roofing and cladding were carried out. The synagogue is famous for its excellent acoustics. In 2006, the synagogue underwent a facade renovation. Mr. Daniel Cerný acquierd the synagogue in auction in 2013. The new owner, born in Žatec, decided to return the building to meaningful use - he wants to turn the Synagogue into a public space for concerts and lectures. In the future, an exhibition on the history of Jews in the Žatec region should be built here.

Source: excerpted and translated from Wikipedia and National Heritage Institute portal.