With a distinctive Moorish exterior and ornate interior, the restored Dohany Synagogue is open to the public and is also the place from which tours of the Jewish Quarter of Budapest begin. Next door to the Dohany Synagogue is the Budapest Jewish Museum and birthplace of Theodor Hertzl – the father of modern Zionism.
The Dohany Synagogue was built between 1854 and 1859 in the Moorish Revival style. The Moorish architectural style was chosen because while no distinctive Jewish design could be identified, the Arabic and Israelite peoples share many aspects of Middle Eastern culture. The influences primarily came from Islamic buildings in North Africa and medieval Spain, such as the Alhambra.
The synagogue was built in a residential area by the Jewish community of Pest, with a capacity for 2,964 worshippers, and was consecrated in 1859. A Jewish Museum was built in the same Arabic style in 1931 on the remains of Theodor Hertzl’s Classicist house stood, holding the Jewish Religious and Historical Collection. In the same year a Heroes’ Temple was also added to commemorate Hungarian Jews who died during World War One.
The synagogue was bombed by the right-wing Hungarian nationalist and pro-Nazi Arrow Cross Party in February 1939. During World War Two, the synagogue remains were occupied by Germans for a radio base while doubling as a stable. The leafy Dohany street where the synagogue stood constituted the border of the Budapest Ghetto during the Holocaust.
Dohany Synagogue also suffered further damage during air raids and the Siege of Budapest, when Romanian and Soviet forces surrounded Budapest to drive out the Nazis towards the end of the war. Under the communists, the damaged building reverted to a prayer house for the much-diminished Jewish community.
Restorations began in 1991 financed by the state and private donations and were completed in 1998.
Today, the synagogue remains a beautiful symbol of the continuing Jewish-Hungarian presence in Budapest, flanked on either side by ornate towers topped with black and gold domes. Inside, the synagogue boasts a stunning arched gallery within which visitors cannot fail to feel great reverence.
Just behind the museum you will find a memorial sculpture depicting a weeping willow with the names and tattoo numbers of the Jewish peoples who died and disappeared as a result of the Nazi regime. It is not customary to have a cemetery beside a synagogue, according to the Torah, however the demand after 1944 was so high that many of those who died in the ghetto were buried there.
The museum also includes a Holocaust room for visitors to deepen their knowledge of the Jewish experience during the 20th century.
The easiest way to reach Dohany Synagogue on a street of the same name is via Budapest’s extensive public transport network. The Astoria transit stop only 2 minutes from the synagogue serves trams 47, 48 and 49 as well as buses 9 and 916 and trolleybus 72M.
]]>Dubrovnik’s Old Synagogue was established in 1352, legally recognised by the city in 1408. After the expulsion of the Jews from the Iberian Peninsula in 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs, many travelled east to Dubrovnik.
These arrivals became craftsmen, dealing with spices, silks, and crafts demanded in the seaport. In 1546, Dubrovnik allocated a Jewish settlement within the city, the main street called Ulica Zudioska, ‘Jewish Street’, located in the suburb of Ploce. Despite fleeing persecution, Dubrovnik’s Jews were similarly treated under Venetian law and the local Catholic Church.
During the 18th century, as Dubrovnik’s economic position and influence declined, Jews could not partake in commerce, confined to the ghetto. It was during Napoleon‘s occupation of Dalmatia in 1808 that Jews gained legal equality for the first time. This quickly changed when the Austrian Empire annexed Dalmatia in 1814, and it was the mid-19th century when Croatian Jews regained legal equality.
Under fascist rule during World War Two, occupied first by the Italian army and then the Germans after September 1943, Dubrovnik’s Jews were sent to Rab concentration camp and Lopud island. In October 1944, Josip Broz Tito’s partisans moved Jews to freed territories; the rest transferred to German concentration camps.
The synagogue was damaged and rebuilt as it weathered the centuries along with its Jewish community: during the 1667 earthquake that devastated much of Dubrovnik, the Second World War and Croatian War of Independence, when the city was besieged by Serbian and Montenegrin forces and the synagogue was hit by artillery.
The three-storied synagogue, redecorated between 1652 and 1670 in the Baroque style, remains a place of worship. Because of the small Jewish population, the synagogue has a visiting rabbi to conduct services.
From the street, originally gated to create a ghetto, you can appreciate the high windows and largely unchanged facade. Climb a narrow staircase to purchase a museum ticket, the walls covered in old photographs, documents, a list of earthquake victims from 1667, among others. More stairs lead to the small sanctuary.
Located in Dubrovnik’s pedestrianised Old Town, the synagogue is 120m from the main gate on foot. Parking bays are located nearby at Ploce gate in Petra Kresimira street, and bus lines 1A, 1B and 3 will get you to the Old Town entrance.
]]>When Hitler’s invading troops entered Warsaw (September 29, 1939), the city’s Jewish population numbered about 370,000 (about one third of the total), making it the world’s largest Jewish centre after New York.
Hundreds of synagogues and prayer houses were then in existence, including the monumental Great Synagogue on Tlomackie Street which the Nazis blew up in mid-May 1943 to mark their victory over the Warsaw Ghetto fighters.
Only one Jewish place of worship survived the devastation of World War II – the Nożyk Synagogue located at 6 Twarda Street. The Germans had converted the building for use as a stables and storage house and it was therefore saved from the general destruction.
Built in a neo-Romanesque style, on the initiative of Zalman and Rywka Nożyk, it was consecrated in 1902. Though damaged during the German withdrawal, the site was once again used as a synagogue after the war, and after a period of reconstruction between 1977 and 1983, was again reopened in 1983.
Fully restored between 1977 and 1983, the Nozyk Synagogue is now open for worship as well as organising joint celebrations of the Sabbath and other Jewish holidays and providing lectures. It remains at the very centre of the Jewish community in the city.
From the centre of Warsaw, the Nozyk Synagogue is a 12 minute drive vi al. Jerozolimskie/DW631 and al. Jana Pawła II. There are also a number of public transport options – alight at the Emilii Plater stop, and walk about 10 minutes to reach the site. From the centre of Warsaw, the site is a scenic 25 minute walk via Marszałkowska.
Contributed by Dr. G A Sivan, Jerusalem
]]>Dating back almost 2,000 years to the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem in 70AD the Jewish community in Kerala witnessed several phases of immigration to the region. Many Jews arrived from Europe – particularly Spain – in the 16th century, leading to divisions between the more established community and that of the new arrivals. Today the community has almost ceased to exist, with most of the Jews of the region having moved to Israel.
Despite the challenges facing this community, there are still many sites which highlight the impact of these Indian Jewish communities. Perhaps the best known of these sites is the Paradesi Synagogue, which is the oldest synagogue still in use in the Commonwealth – predating even the oldest active synagogues in Britain.
Originally constructed in 1568 it was partially destroyed when the Portuguese invaded the area in 1662 but restored two years later after the Dutch wrestled control from the Portuguese. A seemingly modest white building on the outside, the Paradesi Synagogue is magnificently decorated inside – with ornate of chandeliers and hand-painted ceramic tiles originally imported from China.
Another popular destination for those seeking this Jewish legacy is Jew Town Road, sometimes called Jew Street. Located next to the synagogue it was once the heart of the Jewish community, though today you’re more likely to find a host of antique sellers. At one end of this street is the remains of the old Jewish cemetery.
Visitors are required to dress conservatively to enter, and no photography is permitted inside. Check timings before going as the synagogue closes for lunch, as well as on Friday afternoon and all day Saturday.
The synagogue is located in the east of Kochi’s Old Town. You should be able to hail a tuktuk here easily, and then explore the area on foot.
]]>Santa María la Blanca Synagogue was first constructed in 1180 and completed in the early 13th century. The synagogue was constructed under the Christian Kingdom of Castile by Islamic architects for the Jewish population of Toledo, and was originally called Ibn Shushan Synagogue. The design is a Mudejar construction, and the plain white interiors and use of brick and pillars rather than columns were characteristic of Alomahad architecture that thrived in the 12th century under the Iberian Caliphate.
The synagogue’s design also had nuances. Despite being constructed as a synagogue, the lack of a women’s gallery is similar to a mosque. Between 1405 and 1411, the synagogue was repurposed as a church, taking the name of Saint Mary to remove the ‘darkness’ of its Jewish past. At the time, the Kingdom of Toledo was part of the ongoing Reconquista, and the 14th and 15th centuries saw forced conversions, mass murder and rioting against the Toledo’s Jewish population.
According to the Catholic church, the synagogue was turned into a church after a Dominican priest, Vincente Ferrer, converted the Jewish population. The church later became a monastery in 1550, the monks seeking to purify the building of its Jewish past. By 1856, the building was declared a national memorial site and so was restored.
In 2013, the Jewish community in Toledo asked the Archbishop to return the building to them. However, there has been no response.
After a long spiritual history, the synagogue is no longer used for ceremonies but is instead a museum owned by the Catholic Church. You can walk beneath the impressive horse-shoe shaped arches and glance up at the coffered wooden ceiling, admire the altars and take in the peaceful atmosphere.
This incredible building is open all day Monday through Saturday to visit, and the tickets only cost €2,80. The Santa María la Blanca Synagogue remains one of Toledo’s oldest monuments.
Located within Toledo’s Old Town surrounded by other historic treasures, the easiest way to find the synagogue is via public transport. Catch the L2 or L12 buses to Plaza Barrio Nuevo at Junto Plaza, a 200m walk away.
]]>The Greater Synagogue was one of the five synagogues in Segovia. The synagogue is a small building, due to the prohibition existing in medieval Spain to surpass the Christian temples in elevation. It is rectangular in shape and lacks exterior ornamentation. From the middle of the 13th century, Pope Innocent IV established that synagogues could not exceed churches in height.
The Segovia Old Main Synagogue is found in records for the first time as a synagogue in 1373 and functioned as such until 1410 when the building was confiscated by Christian authorities.
By 1419 the building had been converted into a church and dedicated to Corpus Christi. In 1421, the bishop of Segovia handed the building and premises over to the Monastery of Santa María de Párraces. The monastery in turn sold it to two brothers, Manuel and Antonio del Sello, who transformed it into a convent for the Sisters of Penitence. The former synagogue still forms part of that convent.
A terrible fire in 1899 reduced the building to its structural lines. For this reason, only five of the original arches of the arches that separated the naves remain, although some authors believe that there were up to seven of these arches. There are a series of watercolours and photographs which testify to the dilapidated state in which the whole was left.
It was completely restored to the appearance it had before the fire thanks to the photographs and descriptions made previously. The main arches of the naves are topped by an upper floor.
The Corpus Christi church opened its doors in September 2003 after two years of work. It took more than a hundred years before the building was reopened to the public, looking similar to the one it had before the fire.
Visitors enter via a quiet courtyard and the entry fee is 1 euro. The site is located in the Jewish Quarter close to the Plaza Major and Plaza Major bus stop.
]]>One reason for the synagogue’s popularity is its architectural style. It’s said to be representative of eastern Moorish architecture, with Knoblauch apparently taking inspiration from the historic fortress of Alhambra in Andalucia, Spain. The exterior is decorated with terracotta brickwork while the large central dome and two side domes all boast beautiful gilded detailing.
During construction, the synagogue’s key purpose was to accommodate Berlin’s increasing Jewish population. For this reason the grand central hall could seat 3,200 people and was often used for musical events. The building was a symbol of the strong Jewish community in Berlin at the time.
Despite attempts during Kristallnacht (a pogrom against German and Austrian Jews on 9th – 10th November 1938) to shut the synagogue down, it remained active until 1940 before being severely damaged by Allied bombing in 1943.
Having been restored between 1988 and 1991, the synagogue opened its doors as the home of the Centrum Judaicum museum in 1995.
Highly informative, the museum’s permanent exhibition, ‘Open Ye The Gates’, explores the rich story of the synagogue using unique historic documents and multimedia displays to convey how life was for Jewish worshippers during this period of Berlin’s history. Open between 10am and 6pm Sunday to Friday, it’s also possible for visitors to explore the synagogue’s vast dome.
Right in the heart of Berlin, the New Synagogue is easily reached on public transport. You can hop on the S1, S2, S25 or S26 trains or 12, M1, M5 or M6 trams to Oranienburger Straße, just over the road from the synagogue.
]]>Built in the Gothic style, the Old-New Synagogue is a rectangular structure with a pitched roof. Inside, visitors can see the interior in a similar state as it looked in medieval times.
Built in approximately 1270, the Old-New Synagogue was the oldest building in the Jewish Town within Prague, and as such became the heart of the community’s district. The Bohemian king, Premsyl Otakar II had given the Jews the right to built and protect their synagogues. According to legend, angels brought the stones from the destroyed Temple of Solomon to construct the new building.
With a large saddle roof and late Gothic gables, the oblong-shaped Old-New Synagogue occupied an elevated spot dominating an area of single-storey homes from the middle ages. The building served as not only a place of worship but as a meeting place, rabbi’s office and school.
During the pogroms of 1389, around 3,000 Jews were killed – many whilst seeking refuge inside the synagogue. However, despite such violence the Jewish community endured. The Old-New Synagogue survived a devastating fire in 1689 because the surrounding buildings were not close enough to spread the flames.
While Czechoslovakia was occupied by the Nazis during World War Two, the Old-New Synagogue was preserved as the Nazis planned to dedicate the building as a museum to the Jewish race. After the war, the synagogue was significantly restored, fully reconstructed by 1999.
Today, the Old-New Synagogue is open to visitors between 10.30am and 4pm, Sunday to Friday. Inside, you stand beneath a vaulted ceiling similar in design to many monasteries and chapels, hinting at the synagogue’s Christian architects. Note the 19th century pews, one of which with a Star of David above it. This pew was reserved for Robbi Loew, who in the 16th century created the Golem out of clay to protect Jews during pogroms.
Another highlight in the huge red banner with a golden symbol of the Jewish Town and Star of David. The centre holds a 15th century Jewish hat which Jews were required to wear when outside the ghetto – a replica based on the original.
Situated within Prague’s central Old Town, the Old-New Synagogue is easily found via public transport. Buses 194 and 207 stop along Červená, or you can get the 17 and 93 trams from Právnická fakulta, a 3 minute walk down the road.
]]>Prior to the Second World War, Worms had one of Germany’s oldest Jewish communities, with a synagogue having existed on the site as early as 1034. This original synagogue was destroyed by Crusaders in 1096 and was thus succeeded by the twelfth century Romanesque incarnation.
The community and existence of the synagogue as a place of worship and study made Worms the spiritual and cultural hub of Judaism during the Middle Ages.
The original twelfth century synagogue was burnt down as part of the World War II Nazi Kristallnacht in 1938, in which hundreds of Jewish sites were destroyed.
The synagogue was painstakingly reconstructed in 1961, using as many of the original stones which could be salvaged as possible.
Nearby is a twelfth century subterranean mikveh complex. Mikveh are baths used in the Jewish faith to achieve purity.
Today, all that remains of the old Worms Synagogue is a wall with an inscription of the site. The synagogue, however, is used as both a place of worship and as a museum.
The synagogue was built at a time where the late Romanesque style was fading, and the Gothic was rising. As a result the prayer hall features Romanesque columns, while the windows are thick gothic arches. Throughout the rest of the building are a combination of Romanesque and Gothic windows and features.
With over 2000 graves, the Jewish cemetery of Worms is the oldest preserved in Europe. It is a popular pilgrimage site, with numerous small scrolls of paper slipped between the bars of Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg’s tomb attesting to the reverence of the site and the frequency with which it is visited.
Together with the synagogue and museum, the site is popular among locals and tourists alike for worship and to admire its beautiful architecture.
From the centre of Worms, Worms Synagogue is reachable in around 5 minutes by car via Friedrich-Ebert-Straße and Siegfriedstraße, or 15-20 minutes via Friedrich-Ebert-Straße.
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