Neologická synagóga v Košiciach

o meet the needs of the growing Jewish community in the city, a new Neolog synagogue was built in 1927 in close proximity to the oldest synagogue in Košice on Moyzesova Street. This majestic building, featuring an impressive 37-meter-high elliptical dome with diameters of 24 and 21 meters, was designed by the Budapest architect Lajos Kozma and constructed by the Bárkány brothers’ company. The synagogue was intended for Reform Jews and had a capacity of 1,100 seats. At the top of the dome stood a six-pointed Star of David, which today can be found on the Holocaust memorial at the Jewish cemetery in Košice.

After the Second World War, the synagogue building was used as a grain storage facility. In 1962, it underwent reconstruction that completely changed its interior. Only one original Hebrew inscription under the dome has been preserved, while none of the stained-glass windows depicting the twelve tribes of Israel survived. Since the 1960s, the building has been known as the House of Arts and has served as the seat of the State Philharmonic Košice. The space is still renowned for its exceptional acoustics.

At the same time as the Neolog synagogue, a Jewish public school was also built on Tajovského Street. It was even structurally connected to the synagogue on the first floor. The school featured remarkable architecture, including a decorative façade and interesting interior elements with religious symbols. It served its purpose until the Second World War. Since then, it has undergone sensitive reconstruction and has become the seat of several secondary and higher education institutions.