Szydłów Synagogue

From the outside it looks like a small fortress: stone walls about 2 metres thick, heavy buttresses and an attic parapet resembling battlements. Szydłów Synagogue, built in the 16th century within the town walls, is the oldest surviving synagogue in the Świętokrzyskie region and one of the finest examples of a fortified synagogue in Poland. Today it houses a museum of Judaica, a tourist information point and Gustaw Zemła's four-metre "Moses".

History: from synagogue to cultural centre

Jews settled in Szydłów from the second half of the 15th century. The synagogue on today's Targowa Street was most likely built between 1534 and 1564, of rough stone in the late Gothic style. In the early 17th century an annex was added on the west side with a women's gallery, connected to the prayer hall by four small windows. In the 18th century the interior received new painted decoration by Jehuda Lejb. The dates 1699 and 1784 on the walls record later renovations.

The synagogue burned down in the 19th century but was quickly rebuilt. During the Second World War the Germans devastated the interior and used the building as a store for weapons and food. After the war, with no Jews left in Szydłów, it served for a time as a cinema and then stood empty. In 1967 it was assigned to a community cultural centre, and the renovation of 1978–1981 restored its historic appearance. The synagogue was entered on the heritage register in 1957.

What to see

• The prayer hall, set below street level, with a barrel vault with lunettes and stucco decoration from around 1700.
• The Aron ha-Kodesh from the early 17th century — a stone Torah ark in the east wall with pilasters, volutes and a Tree of Life motif.
• Two niches by the entrance: one for a basin for ritual hand-washing, the other for an alms box, with a Hebrew inscription and a relief of joined hands.
• The Judaica display: according to the municipality, the largest private collection of yads (Torah pointers) in Poland, plus a Torah crown, menorahs and books.
• Sculptures by Professor Gustaw Zemła: the four-metre "Moses – Decalogue", "David the Psalmist" and "Gates to the Past", a cycle of 18 bronze reliefs.

Good to know

In 1981 workers found the hidden original wall sconces with reflectors, which made it possible to recreate the historic lighting of the interior. The thick walls, high narrow windows and the parapet hiding the roof meant that the synagogue could serve as an extra defensive point for the town.

Tripto tips

The synagogue is one of Szydłów's ticketed monuments. According to the municipality's information for the 2026 season, a ticket costs PLN 10 (reduced PLN 7), and a combined ticket for all sites PLN 35 (reduced PLN 25); cash and cards are accepted. The sites are open daily: May to September 10:00–18:00, April and October 9:00–17:00, November to March 8:00–16:00. Thirty minutes is enough for the synagogue itself; allow about 2.5 hours for the whole of Szydłów with its town walls, castle and Kraków Gate. Parking in town is free.