In the Prague Staronová Synagogue, a Gothic monument was destroyed

Prague - A rare monument, a Gothic stone bench from the 14th century, was destroyed during construction work in the Prague Staronova Synagogue. Workers thought it was a modern part of the synagogue that was hollow and wanted to install air conditioning in it, reported TV Nova today. The Jewish community is responsible as the owner of the monument.
    The city hall is conducting administrative proceedings against the Jewish community, in which it can impose a fine of up to half a million crowns. "The fault was not only on the part of the owner, but to a significant extent it was on the part of the designer, to a certain extent on the part of the city hall, and last but not least on the part of the National Heritage Institute,” said councilor for culture Milan Richter to Nova. The Jewish community plans to build a new stone Gothic bench at the site of the original using original materials.
    The Staronova Synagogue was built in the early Gothic style in the last quarter of the 13th century. It is the most significant and oldest preserved Prague synagogue, which has served religious purposes continuously for 700 years, except for the years 1942 to 1945. It has been under reconstruction since 1999.
    "In terms of heritage, this is, of course, an immeasurable loss. The Jewish community should have invited heritage conservationists, or rather, conservation oversight, and that did not happen,” said Jiří Varhaník, director of the conservation inspection of the Ministry of Culture, to Nova.