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The Liptovský Mikuláš synagogue embodies the tragedy of Jewish heritage in Slovakia. Although it is one of the most beautiful synagogues in Europe, there is no use for the building, and nobody is willing to come up with a solution for its survival. However, for the time being, it is still worth seeing – at least from the outside. An impressive edifice in the center of the town, the synagogue is a blend of various building stages. The original structure was destroyed by fire in 1878. Rebuilt, it was again damaged by fire in 1906. This time it was refurbished according to designs by the most important synagogue architect of the time, Lipót (Leopold) Baumhorn, from Budapest. Baumhorn retained the outer shell and neo-classical portico with its Ionic capitols and tympanum. But the interior, which preserves the original ark, is sheer Baumhornian Art Nouveau: a central dome, supported by four pillars that also support the women’s gallery. The original fittings survived until the 1980s; during the 1990s the building underwent a partial restoration for cultural purposes, and a local museum used it for occasional exhibitions. In 2009, however, in urgent need of complex renovation, the synagogue was returned to the owner – the Central Union of Jewish Religious Communities in Bratislava. There are no immediate plans (or funding) to restore the building; the synagogue will remain closed to visitors until more promising times arrive. Paradoxically, the last guests to visit it were an Israeli TV crew making a documentary film on Slovakia. |
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