Why go
The dome is currently closed to visitors, so the exhibition and historical rooms are the main visit. Because of its splendid eastern Moorish style and resemblance to the Alhambra, it is an important architectural monument of the second half of the 19th century in Berlin.
What to look for
- The surviving entrance block and gilded dome introduce the history of the 1866 synagogue and Jewish life on.
- The dome is currently closed to visitors, so the exhibition and historical rooms are the main visit.
The full story
It was inaugurated in the presence of Count Otto von Bismarck, then Minister President of Prussia, in 1866. One of the few synagogues to survive Kristallnacht, it was badly damaged prior to and during World War II and subsequently much was demolished; the present building on the site is a reconstruction of the ruined street frontage with its entrance, dome and towers, and only a few rooms behind. It is truncated before the point where the main hall of the synagogue began. Building The front of the building, facing Oranienburger Straße, is richly ornamented with shaped bricks and terracotta, accented by coloured glazed bricks. Beyond the entrance, the building's alignment changes to mesh with pre-existing structures. The synagogue's main dome with its gilded ribs is an eye-catching sight.
Useful to know
- Verify current opening hours, closures and timed-entry rules on the official visitor page before setting out.
- Allow extra time for security or ticketing when the visit includes an interior collection or viewing platform.