Explore Religious Heritage Across Europe

The Great Synagogue in Bykhov was built in the 17th century, and reconstructed later in the 18th century. It is one of the best preserved synagogues in Belarus. Around the year 1990 the building was abandoned. The documentation undertaken in 1993 lead to the discovery of the remains of stucco decoration and paintings in the dome of the bimah support. The only preserved painting was a depiction of a vase located on one of the piers of the bimah.

The Great Synagogue in Chęciny is an Ashkenazi synagogue built in 1638. It was restored in 1905 and in the 1950s. This Baroque brick building has been transformed into a House of Culture.

The Great Synagogue in Chernivtsi is an Ashkenazi synagogue completed in 1853. The synagogue is in Neo-Classical and Baroque Survival style.

The Great Synagogue in Chortkiv is an Ashkenazi synagogue completed in 1771. The synagogue has wall paintings from 1921. The Baroque stone building is now abandoned. The prayer hall of the synagogue was decorated witht the depictions of the Four animals (a tiger, an eagle, a dear, and a lion). The running inscription הוי עז כנמר וקל כנשר רץ כצבי וגיבור כארי (be strong as the leopard and swift as the eagle, fleet as the gazelle and brave as the lion, Mishnah Avot5:20) corresponds to the images. Other mural paintings included The Jaffo Gate in Jerusalem (Tower of David), The Western Wall, כרם היה לידידי, and Rachel's Tomb. On the western wall there were two paintings with frames to the memory of perished in pogroms. Among the prayers written on the walls were אבינו מלכינו, ויהי בנסוע הארון, ספירת העומר, מזמור שיר ליום שבת. On the ceiling the Zodiac signs were depicted. In the windows of the east wall there were stained glass.

The Great Synagogue in Copenhagen is an Ashkenazi synagogue built in 1912 by the architect Gustav Friedrich Hetsch. This brick building in the Egyptian Revival style still serves as a synagogue.

The synagogue was designed by the architect J. A. Mulock Houwer in a distinct Oriental architectural style. The function of the building can be identified as such by the Stone Tablets, located at the very top of the façade. The Moorish architectural features include the octagonal pinnacles and onion-shaped domes which evoke the architectural style of minarets. The close relationship with minarets was strengthened by the fact that the these pinnacles were originally topped with moon sickles while the central pinnacle was adorned with the Star of David. Another typical feature includes the horseshoe-shaped window arches, supported by small columns. The interior of the synagogue was destroyed and looted during the Second World War. The synagogue used to contain stained glass windows depicting the Twelve Tribes of Israel but these are no longer present. The Jewish services resumed between 1947 and 1952 after which the community held their services in the synagogue located along the Lange Bisschopstraat. The original synagogue was repurposed as a reformed church. The Torah niche has since been used as the location for the pulpit and organ. In the beginning of 2018, the Christian reformed community sold the building to Ayhan Sahin who wanted to redevelop the former synagogue into a food hall. This caused the Jewish community of Beth Shoshanna to start their own crowdfunding campaign with the idea of repurposing it as a cultural community center in order to respect the former religious function of the building.

The Great Synagogue in Drohobych is an Ashkenazi synagogue built between 1844 and 1863. It was restored ca. 1928 and recently in 2016. This Rundbogenstil building still serves as a synagogue.

The Great Synagogue in Edirne (Edirne Büyük Sinagogu) is a Sephardi synagogue completed in 1906. The synagogue underwent reparations in 1945, 1948 and recently in 2015. In use until 1983, this brick synagogue was restored to its original function in 2015.

The Great Synagogue in Fălticeni is a monumental construction with area of about 600 square meters. The synagogue was built in 1868 according to the date on the Torah Ark. The walls of the synagogue dissected by pilasters and decorated by cornice. The entrance to the synagogue on the north side artistically elaborated. A balcony situated above the entrance. The west wall of the synagogue adorned with a large balcony. The place of Torah Ark on the eastern wall pointed by round window. The synagogue is decorated with large semi-circular windows.

The Great Synagogue in Gura Humorului is an Ashkenazi synagogue built in 1860. This Neo-Romanesque brick building still serves as a synagogue. The synagogue is a rectangular building with eight semicircular windows on the facade. The women's section is located on the west side of the building on the second floor and separated by pilasters from the prayer hall, which are evident on the facades.