The Shach Shul
in Holešov
The Shul in Holešov is called the Shakh Synagogue after R’ Shabsi HaKohen. It was built in the late 16th century, after the former shul had burned down in 1560 LM. In the early 17th century the shul was enlarged with a sidehall and an ezras noshim. Somewhere between 1725 and 1737 the interior was designed in a baroque decoration in the so-called "Polish style". The shul is an isolated plain building. It has a rectangular ground plan. In the eastern side of the main hall is the Aron Kodesh, built in the baroque style. In the center of the hall is the bimah, built as an octagonal platform with a metal railing. Some parts of the walls and the vault are decorated with ornamental paintings with herbal and faunal motifs and Hebrew texts. The sidehall is separated from the main hall by two arcades.
On the first floor there is the ezras noshim, decorated with liturgical texts, and the second floor was used as a school. Today, the synagogue is a museum; both floors house an exhibition:
"The Jews in Moravia".
