Description of the attraction
The Jewish community in Vienna existed back in the Middle Ages and during its long and turbulent history has gone through many sad pages. Perhaps the 19th century turned out to be the most favorable for Viennese Jews, who by that time already had a rather significant position in society and played an important role in the cultural and scientific life of Vienna. The construction of the famous Stadttempel synagogue, known as the Vienna Synagogue, dates back to this period.
The synagogue was built in 1824-1826. designed by the famous architect Josef Kornhäusel in the Biedermeier style. According to a decree issued by Emperor Joseph II, only the facades of Catholic religious buildings could go directly to the central streets, therefore the synagogue, which was actually located in the center of the city, was hidden behind the residential buildings built at the same time, and structurally was part of the apartment building No. Seitenstettengasse street. However, it was this circumstance that subsequently saved the synagogue from destruction during the tragic events of the so-called Kristallnacht in November 1938. It also became the only synagogue in Vienna to survive the Nazi pogroms during World War II. In memory of those killed in 2002, a memorial was erected in the lobby of the synagogue.
The building of the Vienna Synagogue is an elegant oval-shaped dome structure. The impressive prayer hall is also oval in shape with twelve Ionic columns supporting a two-level gallery for women.
Today, the Stadttempel Synagogue is the main religious center of the Viennese Jewish community, as well as an important historical and architectural monument.
