Synagogue in Kolín, Jewish synagogue in Kolín, Czech Republic

The Synagogue in Kolín is a former prayer house built between 1642 and 1696 in Renaissance and early Baroque style, set in a courtyard behind three houses on Na Hradbách street. Its main hall has a Baroque vault with stucco reliefs of fruit blossoms and vine branches, and it retains a Baroque aron ha-kodesh dated 1696.

A wooden synagogue existed here by 1402 and was repaired in 1422; after a fire in the first half of the 17th century, the present Renaissance and early Baroque building was erected between 1642 and 1696. Worship resumed after the Second World War under Rabbi Richard Feder but ceased around 1953/55, and the state took over the building in 1955.

The main hall's barrel vault carries stucco reliefs of fruit blossoms and vine tendrils with grapes from around 1700; in Jewish symbolism the vine stands for the twelve tribes of Israel. Above the southern women's gallery, inscriptions read "Samt", "Matan", "Damast" and "Atlas", abbreviations of psalms counted among the Ketuvim.

The building now operates as a cultural center under local management and is open to visitors. Check local opening times before visiting and show respect for the space, as it honors Jewish traditions.

The synagogue is hidden in a courtyard behind three houses and is barely visible from Na Hradbách street; access is through the former Jewish school, now the city information centre. Its chandelier and parts of the interior furnishings are held at Temple Emmanuel in Denver, USA.