Can you imagine this building, the \u00d3buda Synagogue, towering over single-story houses? Once it was considered one of Europe’s most beautiful. Now the Aquincum Hotel and \u00c1rp\u00e1d Bridge often steal its attention. But the \u00d3buda Synagogue has a rich story.
This \u00d3buda Synagogue is not just any building. It is an Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Budapest’s District III. Completed in 1821, it replaced an earlier synagogue built in the 1730s. The congregation initially followed the Ashkenazi rite. They shifted to Neolog Judaism in 1831. Since 2010, they have embraced the Orthodox Chabad movement. They now worship in the Ari rite.
Back in 1712, Jews began settling in \u00d3buda. This was a time when they could not live in Buda. Countess Zichy invited them to her property. By 1737, they had constructed a synagogue. The current \u00d3buda Synagogue stands on that very site.
An interesting fact: the original copper roof was taken by the government during World War I. It was melted down for munitions. This happened to many churches across the Empire. Bells, roofs, and crucifixes were all sacrificed for the war effort.
In 1822, an Austro-Hungarian guidebook boasted about the \u00d3buda Synagogue. It claimed few synagogues could match its magnificence. It declared it one of the finest in Europe. Only the synagogue in Amsterdam might have been grander.
Following Rabbi Moses M\u00fcnz’s death in 1831, the congregation shifted from Orthodoxy. They embraced reformist Neolog Judaism. By 1848, they showed their Hungarian pride. Sermons were delivered in Hungarian every other week. In 1850, Jews made up 31.4% of \u00d3buda’s population.
Over time, the Jewish community dwindled as people moved to Pest. Still, in 1926, 10% of District III was Jewish. By the 1970s, the community sold the building. It became a television studio.
But the story does not end there. On September 5, 2010, the \u00d3buda Synagogue was reinaugurated. Israel’s chief rabbi and Hungary’s vice-prime minister attended. Rabbi Slom\u00f3 K\u00f6ves, a Chabad-Lubavitch member, became the new rabbi.
The \u00d3buda Synagogue’s architecture is striking. Andr\u00e1s Landherr designed it in the French Neoclassical Empire style. He transformed the original 1731 building. Six Corinthian columns give it the look of a classical temple. The pediment features carved neoclassical ornaments. The Tablets of the Ten Commandments sit atop. Round-arched windows line the side walls.
Inside, the bimah once featured Egyptian Revival obelisks. The Torah ark was flanked by classical columns. It held 28 Torah scrolls. Chandeliers illuminated the space. Some thought it was too extravagant.
The \u00d3buda Synagogue’s history reflects Hungary’s complex past. It has been a place of worship, a symbol of community, and a television studio. Now restored, it stands as a testament to faith and resilience.
A Hebrew clock has been installed celebrating its 200th anniversary. The \u00d3buda Synagogue stands as a testament to Hungarian Classicism.