former synagogue in Rakovník

The former synagogue in Rakovník is a modest Baroque building in the town centre that once anchored the local Jewish community and today serves as an art gallery. Its unassuming exterior hides a history stretching back to the 18th century, one that mirrors the fate of Jewish communities across northwestern Bohemia.

When was the synagogue in Rakovník built?

Rakovník's Jewish community began organizing as early as the 17th century, though it only received official recognition in 1796. Before that formal status arrived, local Jews worshipped in a prayer house that had existed since 1736. It was on this very site that a masonry synagogue in Baroque style was erected in 1763 — a modest but sturdy structure built to serve a growing congregation.

How did the building change over time?

The synagogue did not stay static. It was rebuilt and expanded in 1792 and again in 1865, with a further refurbishment following in 1917. The community's growth explains why: after 1830 there were 14 Jewish families in Rakovník, but once residence restrictions on Austrian Jews were lifted following the 1848 emancipation, that number climbed to roughly 30 families. The building had to keep pace with the community it served.

The synagogue's history was not free of setbacks, either. A fire damaged the building in 1920, and it underwent its last major repair in 1927.

What happened at the synagogue before World War II?

One of the more remarkable chapters in the building's history unfolded between 1938 and 1941, when the Jewish community reached an unusual arrangement with the local Christian church: the building served the Jewish congregation on Saturdays and Christian worshippers on Sundays. It's a rare example of two different religious communities sharing a single house of worship in the same town.

What happened to Rakovník's Jewish community?

That period of coexistence ended abruptly with the outbreak of World War II. Starting in 1942, Jews from Rakovník were deported — together with Prague's Jewish population — to the Terezín (Theresienstadt) ghetto, and from there mostly to concentration and death camps, where most of them perished. A community that had shaped the town's religious and social life for decades was effectively wiped out.

What is the former synagogue used for today?

The synagogue building, completed in its present form between 1763 and 1764, survived the war and later found a new purpose. Today it houses the Václav Rabas Gallery, serving cultural and social functions for the people of Rakovník. It stands as an example of adapting a former place of worship for public use — a solution that preserved the building's historic fabric long after its original religious function had ended.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Rakovník synagogue built? The current building dates from 1763, constructed in Baroque style on the site of an earlier prayer house that had stood since 1736.

Does the synagogue still serve a religious function? No. Since the end of World War II the building has not served religious purposes — it now houses an art gallery, the Václav Rabas Gallery.

What happened to Rakovník's Jewish community? Starting in 1942, the town's Jewish residents were deported to the Terezín ghetto and from there to concentration camps, where most of them died.

Was the building ever damaged? Yes, a fire damaged the synagogue in 1920; the last major repair took place in 1927.