The Great Synagogue of Budapest

In the heart of the Jewish quarter (in the 7 ^th district), the Great Synagogue of Budapest (also called the Dohány Street Synagogue) is the largest synagogue in Europe and the 2^nd largest in the world after Temple Emanu-El in New York. In short: a must-see!

Brief history of the Great Synagogue of Budapest

The construction of the Great Synagogue (or Dohány Street Synagogue)

Entrusted to Viennese architect Ludwig Förster, the construction of the Great Synagogue began in 1854 and was completed five years later.

The architect who designed the interior decoration was no other than Frigyes Feszl, Ludwig Förster’s rival!

Resolutely Moorish in style, the building also draws on Romantic and Byzantine influences. The synagogue owes its impressive dimensions to the large Jewish community that lived in 19 ^th century in Budapest. At the time, they represented 25% of the population of the Hungarian capital.

The synagogue was inaugurated in 1859. For the occasion, Hungarian virtuoso Franz Liszt was invited to play the organ. French pianist and composer Camille Saint-Saëns was later invited to perform in the synagogue as well.

The Great Synagogue during the 1930s and 1940s

In 1939, the Arrow Cross Party (a Hungarian nationalist, fascist, anti-Semitic and pro-Nazi organization) attacked the Great Synagogue.

During World War II, the Budapest Ghetto was created around the synagogue, which was transformed into a German radio base and later on into stables.

The Great Synagogue since the 1990s

It was not until much later, with the fall of the Soviet regime, that Budapest’s Great Synagogue was finally renovated.

The renovations were partly funded by an association of American philanthropists from the Hungarian diaspora, including businesswoman Estée Lauder and actor Tony Curtis.

A museum, a memory park and a memorial adjoining the Great Synagogue were also built in the 1990s.

Visiting the Great Synagogue

The facade of Budapest’s Great Synagogue

Before even entering the Great Synagogue of Budapest, take moment to peer at its imposing facade made of red and yellow bricks.

The building, which was inspired by the Alhambra in Granada, is resolutely neo-Moorish in style and is decorated with oriental motifs. Its two bulb-shaped towers are undoubtedly reminiscent of the architecture of mosques.

Above the main entrance, be sure to take a look at the large rose window surmounted by the Tables of the Law.

The dimensions of the mosque are quite simply monumental: 75 meters (246 ft) long, 27 meters (89 ft) wide and 43.6 metres (143 ft) high at its highest point.

The interior of the Great Synagogue

The Dohány Street Synagogue is as richly decorated on the inside as it is on the outside. The synagogue’s layout is similar to that of a Christian basilica… Astonishing? Not that much, considering that the synagogue’s architect, Ludwig Förster, was himself a Catholic.

Other Christian elements stand out, in particular the Torah reading table, located at the back of the building and not in the middle as is usual in synagogues, as well as the two side pulpits and the great organ.

Like on the facade, the decoration of the interior of the Great Synagogue blends different influences with a distinct inclination for neo-Moorish aesthetics. c

The synagogue can accommodate up to 3,500 worshipers and has 2,964 seats in total: 1,492 for men (on the ground floor) and 1,472 for women (in the galleries upstairs).

Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park and Imre Varga’s “Tree of Life”

Behind the Dohány Street Synagogue, the Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park ( Raoul Wallenberg Emlekpark in Hungarian) pays homage to the 600,000 Hungarian Jews massacred by the Nazis.

The park is home to the “Tree of Life”, a memorial created by Hungarian sculptor Imre Varga, representing a weeping willow on the leaves of which are engraved the names of Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Some specialists also suggest that the sculpture is reminiscent of the shape of an inverted menorah (the seven-branched candelabrum symbolizing Judaism).

Memory Park also includes a memorial dedicated to Raoul Wallenberg as well as other “Righteous Among the Nations” (including Carl and Gertrud Lutz, Giorgio Perlasca, Ángel Sanz Briz, Angelo Rotta or even Friedrich Born): non-Jews who risked their lives to help Jews escape death during World War II.

The Jewish cemetery

In Jewish tradition, cemeteries are rarely located near synagogues.

The presence of a cemetery adjoining the Great Synagogue may therefore be surprising. But the very high mortality in the Budapest Ghetto made it necessary to bury the victims in the garden located behind the synagogue.

The Jewish Museum

Created in the 1990s, Budapest’s Jewish Museum is housed next to the synagogue, in the former home of Theodor Herzl, founder of Zionism.

The museum traces the history of the Jewish community in Hungary, and exhibits a number of archival documents, photographs and historical objects. The museum also hosts many artistic exhibitions.

Access

Getting to the Great Synagogue

To get to the Dohány Street Synagogue, head for the Jewish quarter of Budapest, east of the Danube. The synagogue is located a short walk from the Hungarian National Museum, St. Stephen’s Basilica and the Opera House.

The nearest public transports are:

Hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses also pull up close to the Grand Synagogue. They’re a handy way to take in the sights and landmarks of the capital city, all while enjoying the fresh air.
👉 More info here.

Opening hours

The synagogue is open:

Admission

Entrance tickets to the Great Synagogue and the Jewish Museum are priced at:

The Great Synagogue of Budapest is a very touristy monument and the queues at the entrance can be quite long, especially during the high season. Captain Ulysse therefore recommends opting for a skip-the-line ticket to avoid wasting time.

👉 Skip the lines: book your tickets and visits in advance!

Credits
Fabrizio Lussu | Pixabay | Fred romero | Yelkrokoyade