The reconstruction of the synagogue in Český Krumlov begins

Czech Krumlov Synagogue - the first building in Austria-Hungary with a reinforced concrete structure

Czech Krumlov - In Czech Krumlov, work will begin on the reconstruction of the synagogue building in mid-August after years of planning. The implementation of the project, costing about 20 million crowns, was delayed by a police investigation into the grants from the Regional Operational Program Southwest. On Monday, the commission is expected to select the contractor for the work, with the completion of the first phase planned for the end of the year, while landscape modifications will last until May 2013, said Miroslav Reitinger, director of the Czech Krumlov Development Fund (ČKRF), to ČTK today.
    The building will undergo a complete structural reconstruction, including connection to utility networks. The structure is one story, partially basement, with an attic, covered by a gable roof and topped with an octagonal tower featuring a pyramidal roof. The goal is to transform the synagogue into a House of Memory about the history of the Jewish community, with space for cultural and social activities and services.
    The revitalization of the synagogue building, along with the reconstruction of the nearby studio of painter Egon Schiele, is part of a plan to revitalize a section of the city in the so-called third meander of the Vltava River. Both buildings are located in the Plešivec Municipal Heritage Zone. The project builds on the revitalization of the nearby municipal park and southern terraces.
    The synagogue was built in 1909. From 1945 to 1968, it was managed by the Czechoslovak Hussite Church, and then for many years served as a warehouse. After 1990, the city became the owner, and in 1997 the Jewish Community in Prague took ownership. The synagogue, as one of the few, survived the World Wars and totalitarian regime without significant damage. The ČKRF has leased the synagogue since 2006 for a period of 30 years from the Jewish community.