The Szeged Synagogue (), also called the Great Synagogue and the New Synagogue, is a
Neolog Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
congregation and
synagogue
A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...
, located at Josika ut. 10, in
Szeged
Szeged ( , ; see also #Etymology, other alternative names) is List of cities and towns of Hungary#Largest cities in Hungary, the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county seat ...
, in the county of
Csongrád-Csanád,
Hungary
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
.
A tourist attraction for the town, in addition to occasional religious use, the synagogue also served as an events center and concert hall.
Architecture
Designed by
Lipót Baumhorn, after winning an 1897 design competition,
the synagogue was completed in 1902 and is considered to contain the finest examples of the unique ''
fin de siècle'' Hungarian blending of
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...
, and
Historicist styles, sometimes known as Magyar style,
or Sezession style.
The interior of the synagogue building, with its tall domed ceiling, draws on multiple historical styles to produce a blend of Art Nouveau and
Moorish Revival styles. The rib-like wall above the organ has
Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...
origins, while the columns supporting the galleries are Roman. The interior of the great dome, and all of the building's stained glass, are the work of the artist
Miksa Róth.
The design of the
Torah Ark alludes to the Holy of Holies in the
Temple of Solomon by using sittimwood from the banks of
Nile
The Nile (also known as the Nile River or River Nile) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It has historically been considered the List of river sy ...
, the wood called for in the building of the
Temple of Solomon in 1 Kings. The hinges are in the shape of the
Hyssop plant, a plant used in the ancient Temple service.
The Szeged Synagogue is the second largest in Hungary after the
Dohány Street Synagogue in
Budapest
Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
, and the fourth largest in the world.
Gallery
Szegedzsinagoga2.jpg, Interior of the synagogue
SzegedZsinagoga.jpg, Dome from inside the synagogue
Szegedzsinagóga3.jpg, The Torah Ark (or Tebah) of the synagogue
See also
*
History of the Jews in Hungary
The history of the Jews in Hungary dates back to at least the Kingdom of Hungary, with some records even predating the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin in 895 CE by over 600 years. Written sources prove that Jewish communities lived i ...
*
List of synagogues in Hungary
References
External links
Szeged Jewish Community Records, 1875-1948at Yeshiva University Archives contains some primary documents regarding construction of the synagogue
{{DEFAULTSORT:Szeged Synagogue
1803 establishments in the Austrian Empire
20th-century synagogues in Hungary
Art Nouveau architecture in Hungary
Art Nouveau synagogues
Ashkenazi Jewish culture in Hungary
Ashkenazi synagogues
Tourist attractions in Szeged
Buildings and structures in Szeged
Jewish organizations established in 1803
Lipót Baumhorn buildings
Neolog synagogues in Hungary
Synagogue buildings with domes
Synagogues completed in 1902
Tourist attractions in Csongrád-Csanád County