Priority conservation works after the devastation of WWII made the synagogue and the premises of the Jewish Community functional until more extensive restoration works could be carried out in 1968. After a section of the synagogue’s ceiling collapsed in 1993, signaling the need for structural repairs, the timber roof structure was renovated and the old roof tiles were replaced in 1996. The wooden structure of the synagogue’s floor had been damaged beyond repair and was replaced with reinforced concrete.
The old stone flooring was restored, and electrical and lighting features were updated. The interior of the synagogue was fully restored. Due to limited resources, the wooden shutters and windows were repaired and repainted and would be formally addressed in 2014. The work was partially financed by the City of Split, and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee provided an interest-free loan for the remaining work.
Condition before the 2014 restoration
Following the works in 1996, which focused on the interior of the synagogue, issues of moisture and the restoration of the facades needed to be addressed. Without gutters, rainwater from the roof had seeped into the cracks and decayed joints of the walls. Water also seeped through the connection between the synagogue and the neighboring house to the east, causing roof tiles to fall and damage the roof of the synagogue.
Restoration of the synagogue in 2014
In 2014, a project supported by the World Monuments Fund’s Jewish Heritage Program, through the generous support of the David Berg Foundation and the Cahnman Foundation, addressed the exterior of the synagogue. An extraordinary effort was made to treat and prevent future water penetration through the connection between the roofs of the synagogue and the surrounding houses.
The facades were cleaned, and decayed mortar from the joints was replaced with the high-quality lime mortar. Damaged parts of the walls were restored using traditional techniques, and the wooden shutters and windows were replaced.
During the project, a fragment of a Roman stele was uncovered, with part of its inscription still remaining, as well as fragments of marble door jambs of an early medieval building that were reused as window jambs on the synagogue’s north facade. For more information about the project, visit www.wmf.org.
