The Great Synagogue in

Piotrków Trybunalski Piotrków Trybunalski (; also known by #Etymology, alternative names), often simplified to Piotrków, is a city in central Poland with 71,252 inhabitants (2021). It is the second-largest city situated in the Łódź Voivodeship. Previously, it wa ...

, ( pl, Wielka Synagoga w Piotrkowie Trybunalskim), was built between 1791-1793 and designed by David Friedlander. The synagogue was devastated by

Nazis Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. After the war, the building was renovated and it now serves as a library. Although plundered during World War II, it is the best preserved synagogue in the Łódź region and one of the best preserved in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

Background

Kazimierz Stronczynski who in 1844-55 led the first official inventory of important buildings in Poland, titled ''A General View of the Nature of Ancient Monuments in the Kingdom of Poland,'' describes the Great Synagogue of Piotrków as one of Poland's architecturally notable buildings.Kolejne pieniądze na piotrkowską kulturę
(26.02.07) – Urzad Miasta, Piotrków Trybunalski.

World War II

On the front wall there is a

commemorative plaque A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, or in other places referred to as a historical marker, historic marker, or historic plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other ...

in Polish, Hebrew,

Yiddish Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ver ...

, and English, which reads: :"''This building, once 'The Great Synagogue,' and this plaque, sanctify the memory of Piotrkow Jews murdered by the Nazis during 1939 - 1945.
Remembrance and restoration project in memory of the Holocaust martyrs and the departed of our Jewish community and in memory of the Great Tzadik Rabbi Dr. Hayim David Bernard.''"

Renovation

In 2012 the synagogue was restored. The façade was repainted according to its original appearance before World War II.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Great Synagogue (Piotrkow Trybunalski) Former synagogues in Poland Buildings and structures in Piotrków Trybunalski Holocaust locations in Poland 1791 establishments in Poland Religious buildings and structures completed in 1793 Orthodox synagogues in Poland