Synagogue in Boskovice

The Synagogue in Boskovice, also called Synagoga Maior, is the oldest and only surviving religious building from the former Jewish town of Boskovice in Moravia. It stands at the heart of a district that was once home to one of the region's most significant Jewish communities, and its interior still carries decorative paintings that are centuries old.

When was the synagogue built?

The core of the building — the entrance hall, the main prayer hall, and the women's gallery upstairs — dates to 1639. The construction was carried out by Silvestro Fiota, a builder of Italian origin from Chiavenna who had by then become a burgher of Boskovice. Less than sixty years later, in 1698, the synagogue was enlarged with an additional nave, giving it the layout that survives today.

What can you see inside?

The synagogue's greatest asset is the painted decoration covering the vaults and walls of the main hall. Ornamental compositions are combined with Hebrew liturgical texts, all created by Jewish refugees from Poland who settled in Boskovice during the second half of the 17th and the 18th centuries. The interior now houses a permanent museum exhibition on the history and monuments of Boskovice's Jewish town, covering the community's daily life, customs, and its tragic fate during the Second World War.

What happened to the building during the war?

Under wartime occupation, the synagogue was closed to worshippers and turned into a storage depot for property confiscated from the Jewish residents of Boskovice — for many families, it was the last trace of their belongings before they were deported. In the following decades the building stood largely unused and gradually deteriorated.

How was the synagogue restored?

A comprehensive reconstruction ran from 1989 to 2001 and cost roughly 12 million Czech korunas. The project was launched by the Boskovice municipal authority and, following the restitution of Jewish community property in 1994, continued under the Jewish Community of Brno, which financed the remaining work. The restored building, with its wall paintings preserved, opened to visitors in 2002.

Is it worth combining with another sight?

Directly across from the synagogue, in the basement of the house known as U Templu (no. 3/5), a former Jewish ritual bath — a mikveh — has survived. It pairs naturally with a synagogue visit: one building shows the prayer hall and religious decoration, the other the everyday purification ritual that was central to community life.

How do you get to the synagogue in Boskovice?

Boskovice lies in Moravia, in the South Moravian Region, and is well connected by train and bus from Brno and Blansko. The synagogue stands in the historic core of the former Jewish quarter, within walking distance of the main square, so a visit combines easily with a walk through the rest of the town.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Synagogue in Boskovice built? The main structure dates from 1639, with an additional nave added in 1698.

Does the synagogue still serve a religious function? No — since 2002 it has housed a permanent museum exhibition on the history of Boskovice's Jewish town.

What is the main highlight of the interior? The original wall paintings and Hebrew liturgical texts, created by Jewish refugees from Poland in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Are there other Jewish heritage sites nearby? Yes — right across the street, in the house U Templu, a former mikveh (ritual bath) survives and can be visited during the same trip.