The architectural heritage of Nová Cerekev can be seen in several notable buildings. The synagogue was built in 1855 in the Romanesque Revival style with Oriental elements. This combination makes it a distinctive starting point for noticing the different forms that shape the townscape.

After many years of restoration work, the synagogue reopened to the public in 2014. If you are planning a visit, check the current access arrangements before you travel. This keeps the historical reopening separate from the question of what visiting opportunities are available today.

Jewish Heritage and Historical Traces

The Jewish cemetery also preserves tangible evidence of different periods. It contains a gravestone dating from 1692. In 1866, a neo-Gothic ceremonial hall was added to the new section of the cemetery. The grave of the modern painter Alfred Justitz is also located here. The gravestone, hall and grave each tell a different part of the cemetery’s history.

The dates help place the buildings in context without combining them into a single building history: the oldest gravestone dates from 1692, the present-day Church of St Thomas Becket was built between 1750 and 1760, the synagogue followed in 1855, and the ceremonial hall was added in 1866. Visitors interested in architecture and history can thus keep different periods and types of buildings in view.

Church, Square and Preserved Streetscape

The present-day Church of St Thomas Becket is a Baroque building. In front of the church, a distinctive stone pillar shrine, known as a sloupková boží muka, dating from the 17th century adorns the square. The site therefore brings together both the 18th-century church and an older stone monument.

In the northern part of the square, opposite House No. 43, there is a simple octagonal stone fountain. It is a distinctive feature of the town. Its clean geometric shape differs from the religious buildings and adds another element to the architectural landmarks in the town centre.

The urban setting also includes the houses on the north side of Rubešova Street. They have largely retained their original form and, together with the synagogue, make up a distinctive ensemble. This means that it is worth looking not only at individual buildings but also at their shared appearance: the synagogue does not stand alone, but forms part of a historic streetscape.

A Cycling Tour as Another Travel Idea

If you would like to include a cycling tour in your travel plans as well as visiting the buildings, there is a route page from 2021 titled “Nová Cerekev, Čížkov, Proseč”. Check the route surfaces and conditions before setting out, as the page is dated and does not say what conditions are like today. The tour offers a possible focus distinct from exploring the synagogue, cemetery and townscape.

For practical planning, the synagogue’s current access arrangements and the cycling route conditions are among the points you should check for your travel dates.

Discover more destinations: Libkova Voda, Kámen U Pacova, Dehtáře, Mysletín, Čížkov, Dobra Voda U Pacova, Čejov, Žirovnice.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Pelhřimov.