Gallery Synagogue in Hranice

The former synagogue is used by a museum and gallery to hold exhibitions focusing on modern Czech and Slovak visual arts. Occasionally, concerts of instrumental and vocal music are held here.

The Border Synagogue is one of the monuments commemorating the community of Border Jews who came here at the beginning of the 17th century. Today’s Janáčkova street, starting from Pernštejnské náměstí and ending in an arcade by the synagogue, was once a Jewish street, where the Jewish minority gradually settled. Jews owned a total of 17 houses here, but most of them were demolished or rebuilt during the 20th century.

Jews in Hranice never formed a large group in relation to the total number of inhabitants, yet their social influence in the 19th century was very strong, especially during the development of the border industry. Until the middle of the 20th century, the largest border factory was the textile factory of the Jewish Heller family (later Karnola), founded in 1844, and the liquor factories of Sigmund Wolf and Abraham Wolf had an even longer tradition.

The original small brick building of the synagogue was replaced in 1863 by a new building in the then Moorish-Byzantine style. It was then used for religious services until 1940. Fortunately, subsequent plans for its demolition were not realized and in 1943 it was adapted to the needs of the city museum. A successful reconstruction in the mid-1990s brought it to today’s impressive form, which makes it one of the characteristic landmarks of the historic center. The genius loci of this monument directly predisposes it to the organization of cultural events, especially fine art exhibitions.

Gallery Synagogue