The Rabbi’s Residence in Polná

The synagogue in Polná was built at the beginning of the construction of the local Jewish ghetto in the second half of the 17th century. As the number of local Jews grew, housing for the rabbi and support facilities for the synagogue were needed. The town’s Rabbi’s Residence was created.

Municipal house no. 541 was built in close proximity to the originally free-standing synagogue in 1714. Its distinctive feature is a Gothic stone balcony resting on extended horizontal supports. The home of the rabbi and his shames, the building also housed the office of the synagogue, a winter prayer hall known as the small synagogue, a matzo bakery and a classroom. A passage in the Rabbi’s Residence also links the two squares that constituted the original ghetto. The Rabbi’s Residence and the synagogue underwent major renovations as part of the Revitalisation of Jewish Landmarks – 10 Stars project, financed by European funds, between 2011 and 2014.