With the help of Norwegian funds, Turnov is completing the reconstruction of the synagogue

Turnov (Semilsko) - With the support of so-called Norwegian funds, Turnov in the Semilsko region is completing the reconstruction of the local synagogue. The dilapidated monument, which is the only one in northern Bohemia to have survived Nazi attacks, is returning to its original form. The external restoration is completed, and the work has now moved inside, said Mayor Hana Maierová to ČTK today. According to her, the monument should be presented to the public by the end of the year.
    The building from 1747 escaped the eyes of the actors of Kristallnacht in November 1938 when synagogues burned in almost all German and northern Bohemian towns. It ceased to fulfill its original religious purpose shortly after World War II, when the remnants of the once strong Jewish culture in Turnov practically disappeared. For years, the building served as a storage facility. The town hall acquired it in 2003 when it exchanged it with the owner for a neighboring house with attractive business spaces.
    The restoration of the synagogue began with the removal of artificially created foreign elements and the uncovering of the original decorations. Among other things, the builders constructed new toilets in the courtyard. However, they also had to repair the roof truss, the roof itself, and the building's facade. Experts from the Jewish Museum in Prague are overseeing the progress of the reconstruction. "The reconstruction will cost around 13 million crowns, 280,000 euros (about seven million CZK) we obtained from Norwegian funds," said the mayor.
    After the repairs, the synagogue will join the monuments of the tourist circuit and the offerings of Jewish sites in the Czech Paradise. Its restoration will also provide the town with additional exhibition space. "On the ground floor, we want to place a permanent exhibition of the Jewish Museum in Prague, which will map the history of Jewish settlement in Turnov," added Maierová. According to her, there will also be remnants of the original inventory from the Turnov synagogue. On the first floor, occasional exhibitions focused mainly on jewelry and crafts are expected, and the synagogue will also serve for musical and literary events.