1914 photo of an Ashkenazic synagogue in Sarajevo

Sarajevo Synagogue ( Bosnian: ''Sinagoga u Sarajevu'' / Синагога у Сарајеву) is Sarajevo's primary and largest synagogue and is located on the south bank of the river Miljacka. It was constructed in 1902 and remains the only functioning synagogue in Sarajevo today.

History

A Sephardi synagogue (also known as ''Sijavuš-pašina daira'' or ''Velika Avlija'') is known to have been built in 1581 with the donation of Turkish

Beylerbey ''Beylerbey'' ( ota, بكلربكی, beylerbeyi, lit=bey of beys, meaning the 'commander of commanders' or 'lord of lords') was a high rank in the western Islamic world in the late Middle Ages and early modern period, from the Anatolian Seljuks ...

Sijamush Pasha to help members of the Jewish community in Sarajevo who were poor. By the end of the 16th century, the space encompassing ''Velika Avlija'' was turned into the first synagogue. The building burned down in both 1679 and 1778, and was rebuilt each time. It now serves as a Jewish museum. Next door is the New Synagogue (''Novi Hram'') serving as an art gallery owned by the Jewish community of Sarajevo. Ashkenazi Jews arrived in Sarajevo during the

Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

in the late 19th century. The Sarajevo Ashkenazi synagogue was designed by

Karel Pařík Karel Pařík (4 July 1857 – 16 June 1942) was a Czech-born architect in the Austro-Hungarian empire. Pařík spent most of his life in Sarajevo where he designed over seventy major buildings, which are today classified among the most beautif ...

and built in 1902. The Sephardic community constructed their own ''

Il Kal Grande ''Il Kal Grande'', also spelled ''Il Kal Grandi'' (Judaeo-Spanish: The Great Synagogue) was the place of worship of the Sephardi community in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The large synagogue was constructed in the Moorish Revival style in ...

'' synagogue of 1932, acknowledged as the largest and most ornate synagogues in the Balkans. It was devastated by the

Nazis Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...

in 1941 during World War II, but the Ashkenazi synagogue was able to escape destruction. The Holocaust in the 1940s and the civil war during the 1990s left fewer than 5,700 Jews in former Yugoslavia. The Jewish community, like the entire country, was once defined by its unique combination of eastern and western traditions. Populations of Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews peacefully co-existed with their

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

and

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

neighbors in Sarajevo and elsewhere in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Architecture

It was designed in the Moorish Revival, which was a popular choice for synagogues in the empire. The synagogue has enormous arches with richly painted decorations. The high, ornate ceiling was highlighted by a ten-pointed star. Today the synagogue is confined to the women's galleries on the upper floor. At the entrance, a stone

menorah Menorah may refer to: * Jewish candelabra: ** Temple menorah, a seven-lamp candelabrum used in the ancient Tabernacle in the desert, the Temple in Jerusalem, and synagogues ** Hanukkah menorah or ''hanukkiyah'', a nine-lamp candelabrum used on the ...

commemorates the 400-year anniversary of the Jews in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The building was renovated in the 2000s.

References

External links

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Ashkenazi Synagogue
( International Student Travel Confederation) {{coord, 43, 51, 23, N, 18, 25, 30, E, type:landmark_region:BA-BIH_source:kolossus-dewiki, display=title Religious buildings and structures in Sarajevo Synagogues in Bosnia and Herzegovina Ashkenazi synagogues Ashkenazi Jewish culture in Europe Buildings and structures in Sarajevo National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina Rebuilt buildings and structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina Synagogues completed in 1902 Moorish Revival synagogues Moorish Revival architecture in Bosnia and Herzegovina Tourist attractions in Sarajevo

History

Architecture

See also

References

External links