Subotica Synagogue

Subotica, Yugoslavia
1902
One of the best surviving examples of the exuberant Art Nouveau style as applied to religious architecture is the synagogue of Subotica, a five- domed, red-brick-and-tile building in northeast Yugoslavia, near Hungary. The roof is covered with colorful glazed tiles and the domes are clad in copper. The interior plan is determined by eight steel columns, set in a circle, that support the vast central dome. Interior walls, columns, and balcony panels are decorated with murals and wood carvings inspired by Hungarian folklore and Secessionist-style floral motifs. Prior to the building's inclusion on the 1996 Watch list, the roof had been restored. Interior decorative work remains unrestored. In the early 1990s, suspension of work on the building left it again vulnerable to water penetration. The current political crises in Yugoslavia further complicates the future of this building and all historic monuments in the region. The synagogue requires a thorough building assessment and preservation plan before outdated heating, electrical, and water systems can be replaced.

Listed in 1996