Former Synagogue and Rabbi House

It is believed that the wooden synagogue was built here in 1856. A brick house was built in its place at the end of the 19th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, Alytus was devastated by large fires. The synagogue survived and was rebuilt. However, there are opinions that in 1911 it was simply built. A rabbi’s house was built next to it that same year. The synagogue was not blown up during World War II. It was ruthlessly devastated during the Soviet era and has now been reconstructed to become the Audiovisual Arts Center.

The exhibition “Shalom, Alytus!” Presents the life of Alytus Jews during the interwar period. The Jewish community at that time accounted for nearly 30 per cent. city dwellers, making their contribution to the city’s history vivid and felt to this day. The material collected by the museologists reveals the economic, social and cultural activities of the Jewish community, and tells about schools, societies, and the Holocaust. We invite visitors to find houses where Jews lived, to find out what films were shown in Jewish cinemas, to find out who was the owner of the “house with lions”. We invite you to get to know the Jewish history of Alytus and discover the legacy of this community in today’s city.

The Audiovisual Arts Center works:

Tuesdays – Fridays
9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
on Saturdays
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
the centre is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Kauno g. 9, Alytus
GPS: 54.401036, 24.048025 (WGS)