Grand Synagogue of Edirne

Grand Synagogue of Edirne, aka Adrianople Synagogue (Hebrew: Kal Kadosh ha-Gadol, Turkish: Edirne Büyük Sinagogu) is a historic Sephardi synagogue located in Maarif Street of Edirne, Turkey. It was designed in the Moorish Revival style and restored in 2015.

Grand Synagogue of Edirne
Adrianople Synagogue
Edirne Büyük Sinagogu
Grand Synagogue of Edirne
Religion
AffiliationOrthodox Judaism
ProvinceEdirne
RiteSephardi
StatusActive
Location
LocationMaarif St. 10, Edirne, Turkey
Location of Edirne Synagogue in Turkey.
Geographic coordinates41.6716°N 26.5516°E / 41.6716; 26.5516
Architecture
Architect(s)France Depré
StyleMoorish Revival
Groundbreaking1906
Completed1909
Construction cost1,200 gold coins
Capacity1,200

History

The 1905 Great Fire of Adrianople destroyed more than 1,500 houses and also damaged several synagogues in the city. The twenty-thousand strong Jewish community urgently needed a place of worship. Following the permission of the Ottoman Government and the edict of Sultan Abdul Hamid II,[1][2][3] the construction of a new synagogue began on January 6, 1906 at the site of the ruined synagogues Mayor and Pulya in Suriçi (Citadel) neighborhood. It was designed by the French architect France Depré in the architectural style of the Sephardi Leopoldstädter Tempel in Vienna, Austria. Costing 1,200 gold coins, it was opened to service on the eve of Pesach (Passover) in April 1909.[4][5] Capable of accommodating up to 1,200 worshipers (900 men and 300 women), it was Europe's third-largest temple and the largest in Turkey.[6][7][8]

In 1983, the synagogue was abandoned after most of the Jewish community left the city, emigrating to Israel, Europe, or North America.[8] In 1995, the temple by law came under the control of the governmental Turkish Foundations Institution.[4]

Restoration

The abandoned and ruined synagogue as well as its outbuilding were restored by the Turkish Foundations Institution in five years, spending ₺5,750,000 (approximately US$2.5 million). On March 26, 2015, the synagogue was reopened with a celebration and a Shacharit, morning prayer service, attended by a large number of Jews including Ishak Ibrahimzadeh (leader of the Jewish community in Turkey), Rav Naftali Haleva, deputy to Hakham Bashi (Chief Rabbi) Ishak Haleva, Bülent Arınç, Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey, and some other Turkish high officials. The worship was overseen by Rabbi David Azuz, who had led the service on the closing day 36 years before. The Municipality of Edirne hung a banner in the street of the synagogue and greeted the guests with the words "Welcome home, our old neighbors".[1][2][3][7]

  • Facade of the ruined Synagogue before restoration
  • Interior of the synagogue
  • Interior of the synagogue
  • Interior of the synagogue
  • Interior of the synagogue
  • Interior of the synagogue
  • Administrative building backside Grand Synagogue of Edirne

See also

References
  1. "Edirne Sinagogu 46 yıl sonra yeniden ibadete açıldı". Sabah (in Turkish). 2015-03-26. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
  2. Ariel, Ben (2015-03-27). "Ottoman Era Synagogue Reopens in Turkey Following Restoration". Israel National News. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
  3. "Turkey reopens restored Ottoman-era synagogue". The Times of Israel. 2015-03-26. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
  4. "Press Release- The Restored 'GREAT Synagogue of Edirne' To Be Opened On Thursday". Directorate General of Press and Information. Archived from the original on 2015-03-28. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
  5. Güleryüz, Naim (February 2013). "Viyana Türk Yahudi Cemaati ve Sinagogu" (in Turkish). 500. Yıl Vakfı. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
  6. Özmen, Engin (2015-03-25). "Edirne'de Büyük Sinagog açılışa hazır". Hürriyet (in Turkish). Retrieved 2015-03-27.
  7. "Büyük Sinagog'da 46 yıl sonra ilk ibadet". CNN Türk (in Turkish). 2015-03-26. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
  8. "Great Synagogue of Edirne in Turkey, Europe's third largest synagogue, reopens after five-year restoration". Archinect News. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
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