The Great Synagogue in Gorlice

The Great Synagogue in Gorlice, located at 3 Piekarska Street, was the largest of the three main synagogues in the city. Built in the 18th century, it is a masonry structure consisting of a main hall, a vestibule, and a women's gallery. Originally, its architecture was adorned with a Moorish supraporte bearing the inscription "בית הכנסת" (synagogue), semicircular supraportes with tablets of the Ten Commandments, and richly decorated elevations, including rustication elements and ornamental window frames. The interior of the synagogue was designed in a pseudo-baroque style, with polychromes depicting zodiac signs and musical instruments. In the 1930s, the synagogue suffered devastation—during World War II, it was used as a stable, which destroyed many decorative elements. After the war, the building served as a warehouse, and in 1967 it was converted into a mechanical bakery, leading to the destruction of valuable polychromes. Today, a plaque on the synagogue wall commemorates approximately 2,500 Jews murdered during the occupation, highlighting the tragic chapter in the history of Gorlice's Jewish community. Despite extensive damage, remaining architectural elements, such as the barrel vault, bear witness to the rich history of this place.