One hot day in August 2020 we came to Trenčín, a small but beautiful town inhabited by around 55.000, near the Czech border in north-eastern Slovakia.
Right at the center you will find the fabulous Synagogue. It was built in 1913 on the site of an older wooden Synagogue.
Wikipedia claimed that the building is used as an art center. But quite evidently it was in disuse.
Six years later
In 2026, Trenčín was awarded the honor of being chosen as one of two European Capitals of Culture (the other being Oulu, Finland). A reason good enough to pay this place another visit.
While being a Capital of European Culture is not very noticeable when strolling through the Old City, the Synagoge building has been renovated rather nicely and serves as a concert venue. It also contains an exhibition on Trenčín’s now-extinct Jewish community. One can visit on weekdays for a small entry fee.
The women’s section, a large balcony on three sides on the first floor is still not quite done. The door to the stairwell not being locked, I secretly sneaked up and looked around.
The acoustics are fantastic. Even singing quietly, the dome carries the voice to every corner of the hall. Actually, there aren’t that many corners. While the ground plan is nearly square, nearly every wall is somewhat curved. Even the women’s balcony’s parapet comes without straight lines. And the whole hall is topped by a huge dome.
The Wochentag Shul
On the back side of where the Aron Kodesh used to be, doors at either side lead to another square room, much less ornate but with a large window in the ceiling that lights the room beautifully. Three walls have no windows, and there is an entrance directly from the street.
I suppose (but have not found any proof) that this must be where the Minyan used to gather on weekdays.
But what did it look like before the Shoah?
As mentioned, there’s a small but very well done exhibition. Among a wealth of information on the Jewish community of old, it displays a few photographs and paintings showing the interior.
You can see the original Aron Kodesh and the Bimah with its balustrade as well as the original furniture.
Btw, there was an interesting article on the Trenčín Synagogue in the German-language periodical David: