Description of the attraction
There are only four synagogues in Serbia, two of them are located in Belgrade: one in the Zemun district, and the other on a street named after Marshal Biryuzov, a military leader during the Great Patriotic War, a participant in the capture of Belgrade. There was also a third synagogue in the city, but it was demolished before the beginning of the 20th century.
The Sukat Shalom synagogue on Biryuzova Street was founded in 1924, a year later the construction of the building was completed, and a year later it was consecrated. Construction was planned to begin much earlier, but these plans were shifted by the outbreak of the First World War.
The plot of land on which the synagogue was built was purchased from the municipality by Ashkenazi Jews. This building housed a mikvah (reservoir for ritual ablutions) and a school, offices and living rooms. Initially, services in the synagogue were held according to the Ashkenazi rite, and now the liturgy is held according to the Sephardic rite - representatives of both branches settled in the capital of modern Serbia many centuries ago: Sephardim in the 16th century, Ashkenazi in the 18th century.
During the Second World War, when Belgrade was occupied by the Nazis, the synagogue building was desecrated - a brothel was opened in it, but after the end of the war, the building again began to serve the religious needs of the Jewish people. Currently, the synagogue is not only the religious center of the Jewish community in Belgrade, but also the center of its cultural life, and the building itself has historical and architectural value. Traditionally, the synagogue is not only a place of worship, but also a center of education and a place for social gatherings. Therefore, in addition to the ceremonial rooms, it also contains classrooms, a conference room, and living rooms are still located on the two upper floors.
The buildings were built in the spirit of academism. Frani Urban became its main architect. The pediment of the building's facade is decorated with the Star of David. Its side structures resemble towers and refer to the architectural tradition of reflecting in the appearance of synagogues the pillars of the Temple of Solomon Yachin and Boaz, which flanked the entrance to it.
