The restored former synagogue in Uherské Hradiště is vying for the title of Monument of the Year

Uherské Hradiště - The former synagogue in Uherské Hradiště is competing for the title of Monument of the Year 2022 for the Zlín Region. The building, which houses the Bedřich Beneš Buchlovan Library, was reconstructed by craftsmen last year. The winner of the final, which features 12 monuments from across the country, will be announced on Tuesday. The award is presented by the Association of Historical Sites of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia for the best project and realization of the restoration of movable and immovable objects that have significant heritage, architectural, or urban values. The competition has been held since 2013.

The foundation of the restoration of the former Jewish prayer house was the repair of the façade last year. After 20 years since the last modifications, it exhibited extensive local defects, especially in the plinth plaster areas. "The proposal for its restoration included, among other things, a stratigraphic survey, the result of which was a change in color. The previous brick color was replaced with a grey-blue shade for the main surfaces and white for the decorative elements. The work also included repairs to the metal elements and the rainwater downspouts. Repairs also included refurbishing the windows," stated on the association's website.

The costs of repairing the building, including VAT, amounted to nearly 5.2 million crowns, with a subsidy from the Ministry of Culture of 770,000 crowns. Since 1951, the building has been used as a library. In 1992, it was named after Bedřich Beneš Buchlovan, a former librarian.

The synagogue was built in the Neo-Romanesque style in 1875. Its current form dates back to a radical reconstruction in 1904. The single-nave hall structure with a rectangular floor plan features a restored tower addition with a dome. In June 1941, the synagogue was damaged by SA units and local members of the collaborationist organization Vlajka, and after a second attack in August 1941, when it was set on fire, only a ruin remained. After World War II, the city repaired the synagogue for cultural purposes. In March 1966, a fire damaged the building, and in July 1997, it was affected by floods. However, it was always restored again.

The title of Monument of the Year is being contested in the category of major restoration, which includes costs over two million crowns, alongside the former Uherské Hradiště synagogue, the Cheb Castle, the cemetery gate and belfry in Prostějov, the Brass family tomb from Dolní Podluží in the Děčín area, and the reconstructed townhouses on Masaryk Square in Karviná - Fryštát. In the category of minor restoration, defined as up to two million crowns, the restoration of the organ from the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Uherské Hradiště - Mařatice is competing for the Zlín Region. The ceremonial evaluation of the competition will take place on Tuesday afternoon in Prague at Žofín.