Synagogue in Wodzisław Śląski

The synagogue in Wodzisław Śląski stands in the centre of the old town, on what is now ulica Targowa. Today the building has no religious function and is not open to visitors, but its form is a reminder of the town's former Jewish community.

History of the building

The synagogue was built in 1826 on the site of an older one that burned down in a fire in 1822. In the interwar period it was closed, because there was no longer a Jewish community in the town. In 1938 the building was bought by representatives of the Union of Silesian Insurgents and converted into the Insurgents' House (Dom Powstańca). During the Second World War the Czar cinema was housed here, contrary to an earlier agreement to respect the former place of worship. Later the building housed shops.

What it looked like

The synagogue was a free-standing, plastered building on a T-shaped plan, topped with a hipped roof. The façade was decorated with a single-bay projection with a large arched window, above which was a round oculus with a Star of David. Three entrances in the form of Romanesque portals led inside, and Stars of David were placed above the side ones. After the rebuilding of 1938 the original form was partly preserved.

Practical information

• Address: ulica Targowa, Wodzisław Śląski, centre of the old town.
• The building currently has a commercial function, so it can be viewed from the outside only.
• Nearby: the Market Square, the Dietrichstein Palace and the Jewish cemetery.