The Synagogue in Namestovo

The synagogue

An important aspect of the Jewish community is the cemetery and the synagogue.

When it comes to Namestovo synagogue - there is not much information relating to it. It was located opposite the church of St. Simon and Judas in a diagonal direction. One of the pieces of real evidence of the synagogue in Namestovo is a drawing from 1810, stored in Bytča national archives. The author of the preserved drawing was Michael Dlholucky.

Ground plan of the synagogue
Ground plan of the synagogue
Comparison of current and historical maps from 1871
Comparison of current and historical maps from 1871
Namestovo synagogue in 1810
Namestovo synagogue in 1810
A proposal for the extension of the Namestovo synagogue which, however, was never implemented
A proposal for the extension of the Namestovo synagogue which, however, was never implemented

During WWII the synagogue was damaged during a bombing raid and has never been restored. Photos of the interior have not been preserved either. The exterior can only be seen in the photos or drawings of Namestovo from before 1953.

A photo of Namestovo showing the location of the synagogue
A photo of Namestovo showing the location of the synagogue

In 2017, during the exhibition "Those who lived among us I.", the unique project of the students of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (Department of Architecture), led by Ing. arch. Michal Ganobjak, PhD.,was presented. They created a hypothetical reconstruction of the synagogue using available drawings and illustrative photos.

Take a look at their amazing work: 3D visual representation and a 3D model of the square synagogue in Namestovo.

In 2012, a marble memorial plaque was installed in Namestovo, which symbolizes the original place where the Jewish synagogue was located until 1945.

A marble memorial plaque symbolising the original site of the Jewish synagogue.
A marble memorial plaque symbolising the original site of the Jewish synagogue.
The Jewish cemetery Namestovo 2023.