Bobowa Synagogue

The synagogue in Bobowa, built in 1756, is one of the most valuable examples of Jewish sacral architecture in Poland. Its structure, made of stone in the Baroque style, was designed on a rectangular plan and covered with a single-story hipped roof. The interior of the synagogue is characterized by a richly decorated stucco frame of the aron ha-kodesh from the years 1777–1778, which is the best-preserved in the Lesser Poland region. The interior has undergone numerous changes and renovations due to a fire in 1889 and destruction caused by the Nazis during World War II. After the war, the synagogue was abandoned, and in 1955 it was converted into weaving workshops. In 1993, it was reclaimed by the Jewish Religious Community in Krakow, and its restoration began under the guidance of the Nissenbaum Family Foundation. In 2003, the synagogue was reopened as a place of worship, where occasional services are held. In 2008, a miniature model of the Bobowa synagogue, featuring architectural and cultural details, was created at the Doll Museum in Pilzno. The synagogue was entered into the national register of monuments, highlighting its historical and cultural value. Today, it also serves as a lace-making workshop and a museum, where a permanent exhibition of Judaica can be viewed.