Great Synagogue (Iași)

Synagogue in Iași, Romania

For similarly named synagogues, see Great Synagogue.

Great Synagogue of Iași

Romanian: Sinagoga Mare din Iași

The synagogue, in 2002

Religion
Affiliation| Judaism
Rite| Nusach Ashkenaz
Ecclesiastical or organisational status| Synagogue
Status| Active
Location
Location| 1 Sinagogilor Street, Iași, Iași County, Western Moldavia
Country| Romania

Location of the synagogue in Romania

Geographic coordinates| 47°09′56″N 27°35′32″E﻿ / ﻿47.16556°N 27.59222°E﻿ / 47.16556; 27.59222
Architecture
Type| Synagogue architecture
Style| Baroque
Date established| c. 1650 (as a congregation)
Groundbreaking| 1657
Completed|

* Original: 1671
* Rebuilt/restored: 1761, 1822, 1863, 1977 (after earthquake), 2018

Specifications
Dome(s)| One
Dome height (inner)| 9.8 metres (32 ft)
Materials| Brick

Monument istoric

Official name| Iași: Sinagoga Mare
Type| Monumente de arhitectură
Designated| sec. XVIII
Reference no.| IS-II-m-B-04057
[1][2][3]

The Great Synagogue of Iași (Romanian: Sinagoga Mare din Iași) is a Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 1 Sinagogilor Street, in Iași, in the Iași County, of Western Moldavia, Romania. The synagogue was completed in 1671 in the Baroque style,[1] and it is the oldest surviving synagogue in Romania.[4]

The synagogue is listed on the National Register of Historic Monuments[2][5] and in 2014 was included on the watchlist of World Monuments Fund.[3]

## History and architecture

[edit]

Raised in 1671, the Great Synagogue is a free standing building adjacent to a small garden off Cucu Street (once called Sinagogilor Street for the many synagogues located on it) just north of the city center in the old Jewish neighbourhood of Târgu Cucului. The synagogue underwent major renovations in 1761, 1822 and 1864. It was partly restored in the 1970s and a major restoration took place between 2006 and 2018.[3][6][7] The Women's Gallery houses a small museum of the Jewish community of Iași.

The building has round-arched windows, and two wings. One wing is two stories high and capped by a barrel-vaulted ceiling. The other is a tall, single-story hall with a 9.8-metre (32 ft) diameter dome capped with a lantern. The dome was added to the building in the early 20th century.[8]

Of the more than 110 synagogues in Iași before World War II, the Great Synagogue is one of only two which continues to serve the dwindling Jewish community of Iași, following the Holocaust.[9]

## See also

[edit]

* Judaism portal
* Romania portal

* History of the Jews in Iași
* History of the Jews in Romania
* List of synagogues in Romania

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Great Synagogue in Iaşi". Historic Synagogues of Europe. Foundation for Jewish Heritage and the Center for Jewish Art at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. n.d. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
2. ^ a b "Lista Monumentelor Istorice 2015: Județol Iași" (PDF). Ministerul Culturii (in Romanian). Guvernul României. 2018. p. 1718. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
3. ^ a b c "Great Synagogue of Iaşi". World Monuments Watch: Completed project. World Monuments Fund. 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
4. ^ Gruber, Samuel (May 31, 2010). "Romania: Iași Synagogue in Restoration". Jewish Art & Monuments.
5. ^ "The Romanian Register of Historical Monuments" (PDF). 2010. p. 1616\. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 1, 2011.
6. ^ Gruber, Ruth Elen (May 20, 2010). "Romania: Historic synagogue in Iaşi under restoration". Jewish Heritage Travel. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
7. ^ "Sinagoga Mare s-a redeschis aseară, după mai bine de 10 ani de restaurări". ziaruldeiasi (in Romanian). December 4, 2018.
8. ^ Streja, Aristide; Schwarz, Lucian; Hasefer, Editura (1997). Synagogues of Romania. p. 111.
9. ^ Svart-Kara, Itic (1997). "Contributions to the History of Jews in Iaşi". JewishGen. Bucharest. pp. 65–88. Retrieved July 11, 2011.

## External links

[edit]

Media related to Great Synagogue in Iași at Wikimedia Commons

* "Great Synagogue of Iaşi". Beit HaTfutsot - The Museum of the Jewish People.
* Svart-Kara, Itic. "Contributions to the History of Jews in Iaşi". JewishGen.
* "The Great Synagogue of Iaşi and Its Aron Kodesh" (slideshow of images of the restoration). World Monuments Watch. World Monuments Fund. 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2024.

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Synagogues in Romania

Active|

* Brașov
* Bucharest
* Choral
* Faith
* Great
* Yeshua Tova
* Cluj-Napoca Neolog
* Great (Iași)
* Reșița
* Satu Mare
* Status Quo Ante
* Timișoara
* Cetate
* Iosefin

Former|

* Bucharest
* Beth Hamidraș
* Grand Spanish
* Jewish Museum
* Malbim
* Spanish Small
* Constanța
* Great
* Sephardic
* Gherla
* Pod Roșu (Iași)
* Fabric (Timișoara)
* Northern Transylvania Holocaust Memorial Museum

* List
* Jews and Judaism in Romania

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Landmarks in Iași

Historical|

* Balș House
* Braunstein Palace
* Calimachi Palace
* Cantacuzino-Pașcanu Palace
* Cuza Palace
* Grand Hotel Traian
* Grigore Sturdza Palace
* Metropolitan Palace
* Mihai Sturza Palace
* Neuschotz Palace
* Palace of Culture
* Roset-Roznovanu Palace

Cultural|

* Art Museum
* Dosoftei House
* Ethnographic Museum of Moldavia
* George Topîrceanu Memorial House
* Iași Athenaeum
* Iași National Theatre
* Ion Creangă Bojdeuca
* Luceafărul Theatre
* Ludic Theatre
* Metropolitan Museum
* Mihai Codreanu Memorial House
* Mihai Eminescu Museum
* Mihail Sadoveanu Memorial House
* Moldavia's History Museum
* Moldova Philharmonic Orchestra
* Jewish Community Museum
* Municipal Museum
* Museum of the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University
* Natural History Museum
* Nicolae Gane Memorial House
* Otilia Cazimir Memorial House
* Pogor House
* Poni-Cernătescu Memorial House
* Romanian National Opera
* Science and Technology Museum
* Theatre Museum
* Union Museum

Monasteries,
churches
and synagogues|

* Armenian Church
* Aroneanu Monastery
* Barnovschi Church
* Bărboi Monastery
* Bârnova Monastery
* Bucium Monastery
* Cetățuia Monastery
* Frumoasa Monastery
* Galata Monastery
* Golia Monastery
* Great Synagogue
* Hlincea Monastery
* Metropolitan Cathedral
* Old Catholic Cathedral
* Old Metropolitan Cathedral
* Saint Nicholas Princely Church
* Saint Sabbas Church
* Saint Spiridon Church
* Socola Monastery
* Trei Ierarhi Monastery

Educational|

* Alexandru Ioan Cuza University
* Gheorghe Asachi Technical University
* George Enescu National University of Arts
* Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy
* Ion Ionescu de la Brad University of Life Sciences
* Central University Library
* Gheorghe Asachi Iași County Library
* National College
* Costache Negruzzi College
* Mihai Eminescu College

Statues
and monuments|

* Alexandru Dimitrie Xenopol Statue
* Alexandru Ioan Cuza Statue
* Attacking Cavalryman Statue
* Dosoftei Statue
* Gheorghe Asachi Statue
* Grigore III Ghica Monument
* Independence Statue
* Mihai Eminescu Statue
* Mihail Kogălniceanu Statue
* Miron Costin Statue
* Stephen the Great Statue
* Union Monument
* Vasile Alecsandri Statue
* Voievodes Statuary

Parks, squares and
natural landmarks|

* Bârnova Lime Tree
* Botanical Garden
* Central Market Square
* Ciric Park
* Copou Gardens
* Eminescu's Linden Tree
* Exhibition Park
* Independence Square
* Mihai Eminescu Square
* Odd Poplars Alley
* Palace Square
* Palas Garden
* Podu Roș Square
* Repedea Hill Fossil Site
* Theatre Square
* Union Square
* University Square
* Voievozilor Square

Sports venues|

* Emil Alexandrescu Stadium

Shopping|

* Felicia Shopping Centre
* Hala Centrală
* Iulius Mall
* Mall Moldova
* Moldova Center
* Palas Mall

Infrastructure|

* Iași International Airport
* Central Railway Station
* Nicolina International Railway Station
* CTP Iași

By type|

* Attractions
* Media in Iași

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