Plzeň will illuminate the Great Synagogue

Plzeň - One of the prominent landmarks of Plzeň, the Great Synagogue in Sady Pětatřicátníků, is set to be highlighted by night lighting later this year. The city will allocate 1.5 million crowns from its budget for this purpose. The Plzeň Synagogue, the largest in the Czech Republic, the second largest in Europe, and the third largest in the world, will have similar night lighting as another significant monument in the city - the Cathedral of St. Bartholomew, said Deputy Mayor Marcela Krejsová to ČTK.
    Discussions about lighting the monumental structure with two slender towers over 60 meters high took place several years ago during the major reconstruction of Sady Pětatřicátníků. The relevant authority has also issued a building permit, which has been extended this year.
    The Great Synagogue in Plzeň was completed in 1893 and served its purpose until the Holocaust. After World War II, it was returned to the Jewish community, but was closed during the communist regime and fell into disrepair. It underwent repairs costing 60 million crowns in the 1990s and opened to the public in the spring of 1998, when the first service was held there after many years. Now, thanks to its acoustics and ambiance, it is also used for concerts.