One of the most interesting Slovak synagogues is preserved in Malacky. Designed by the prominent Viennese Jewish architect Wilhelm Stiassny, it is an excellent example of Moorish-styled synagogue architecture typical for his oeuvre. The fascinating exterior façade features two corner projections and towers with onion shaped roofs. Three-bay façade is characterized by Moorish style elements: horseshoe windows and portals, rich Moorish ornaments, and emblematic yellow-red polychromy cover the entire surface. Building’s large open interior was altered by splitting it into stories, though many original features were preserved. The ground floor, used as an artistic workshop, contains the cast-iron support columns of the women’s gallery as well as the original ark. The upper floor serves as a concert hall with a stage that incorporates the ornate upper section of the ark. An amazing original wooden cassette ceiling spreads above the room. The synagogue originally stood within a neighborhood, which has fully disappeared in favor of a car parking, police station, and hotel. Only the former Jewish school building, today used as an art school together with synagogue, survived. It is unclear, why the architectural design for a synagogue in the peripheral town was commissioned from a leading architect in Vienna, a center of the Empire. The prominent status of the local Spitzer family who maintained business connections in Vienna might be a clue. It was them who donated the building lot.
Malacky [Hungarian: Malacka]
