In a slightly sloped terrain in the close vicinity of the historical centre of Žilina on irregular corner ground, the local Jewish community had a new synagogue built at the beginning of the 30s of the 20th century. The final project was prepared by one of the leading representatives of the modern architecture and the founder of the German modernist architecture Peter Behrens. By an ingenious use of the terrain where by adjusting the front hilly terrain with a system of stairs and terraces he created the necessary entrance ground to the building, he managed to incorporate to the surrounding a massive block with the main hall covered with cupola. A coursed stone cladding in the lower parts of the main façades indicate a fortification with crenellation as well as smooth mass of higher levels, which appear to rise from behind the cladding, including high and narrow slit windows, as well as slightly disturbed still horizontal lines within gradual elevation of the major ledge facing the corners indicate a link between modern architecture and architectonic style of the Middle East. Experts include this refined and unobtrusive work among the most significant monuments of the European modernist movement in Slovakia. Since the World War II. it does not serve its original purpose and at present it is used for culture-social events.
Photos and video (www.culturalheritage.sk)
Heritage > National cultural monuments
