Agudas Achim Synagogue

The Agudas Achim Synagogue is a functionalist Jewish house of worship in Brno, located at Skořepka 13 in the Trnitá district. It stands out as the city's only synagogue built in the modernist architectural spirit of the 1930s and as one of the few synagogues in Moravia that kept serving its original purpose after the war.

How to get there?

The synagogue sits within a row of buildings on Skořepka street, just south of Brno's historic centre. The Trnitá district is within walking distance of the main railway station and Freedom Square (náměstí Svobody), making it easy to reach on foot or by public transport. The building blends into the street's façade line — its longer side faces south onto the street, presenting a restrained front devoid of the ornamental details typical of older, 19th-century synagogues.

Where did this synagogue come from?

The building's origins trace back to the wave of Galician Jewish refugees who fled westward into Austria-Hungary during World War I. An estimated 16,000 of them arrived in Brno, and a substantial number stayed on after the founding of Czechoslovakia, becoming actively involved in the local Jewish community. This Orthodox community founded the association Agudas Achim — meaning "Community of Brothers" — with the specific goal of raising funds to build its own Orthodox synagogue in the city.

Who designed it, and when was it built?

In 1932, the association, represented by Zigmund Horowitz, commissioned Brno architect Otto Eisler to design the new synagogue. Eisler was a leading figure of functionalism, the architectural movement that came to define much of Brno's built environment in the 1930s. Construction took place between 1935 and 1936, producing a low, single-storey building with a compact, cubic form under a flat roof. Both the street-facing and courtyard façades are deliberately austere, a sharp departure from the decorative Neo-Romanesque or Moorish styles favoured by earlier synagogues.

What happened to it during the war years?

During World War II, the synagogue lost its religious function entirely — German occupying forces converted it into a storage facility, which left the building damaged. It wasn't until after the war, in 1945, that the synagogue was reconsecrated and returned to its original use. It remained active in the following decades even as Brno's Jewish community shrank considerably. Notably, as of the early 2000s, it was the only synagogue in Moravia and Silesia still functioning for its original religious purpose.

What does it look like today?

The building underwent a thorough renovation, completed in January 2016, which restored its technical condition while preserving the original functionalist character of Eisler's design. Today, the synagogue continues to serve as a place of worship for Brno's Jewish community, standing as both a living link to the story of the Galician refugees and one of the region's few surviving examples of modernist sacred architecture.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Agudas Achim Synagogue in Brno built? It was built between 1935 and 1936, designed by architect Otto Eisler and commissioned by the Agudas Achim association.

Why was this synagogue built in Brno specifically? Its origins lie in the influx of Galician Jewish refugees during World War I — many settled permanently in Brno and formed their own Orthodox religious association.

What happened to the synagogue during World War II? The building was converted into a storage facility and damaged; it only regained its religious function after the war, in 1945.

Is the synagogue still in use today? Yes — following a renovation completed in 2016, the building continues to serve as a place of worship for Brno's Jewish community.