Great Synagogue of Europe
Great Synagogue of Europe, Main synagogue in Sablon district, Brussels, Belgium.
The building features Romanesque Revival architecture with round arches, bronze chandeliers, and stained glass windows created by Henri Dobbelaere.
Construction of this synagogue, completed in 1878, marked the establishment of a permanent Jewish place of worship following Belgium's recognition of Judaism in 1831.
The synagogue received its designation as the Great Synagogue of Europe in 2008, symbolizing a central point for Judaism similar to St Peter's Basilica.
The synagogue maintains regular prayer services, hosts community events, and offers guided tours to visitors interested in learning about Belgian Jewish heritage.
Four people sustained injuries during a terrorist attack at the synagogue in September 1982, attributed to the Abu Nidal Organization.
Location: City of Brussels
Inception: 1875
Architectural style: Romanesque Revival architecture
GPS coordinates: 50.83889,4.35500
Latest update: May 27, 2025 17:40
The neo-Moorish architecture developed in the 19th and early 20th centuries, driven by European interest in oriental forms. This architectural movement combines Western building elements with Moorish decorative motifs: horseshoe arches, carved arabesques, geometric mosaics, and ornate stuccoes. This stylistic synthesis appears in a variety of structures, from places of worship to private residences, theaters, and city fortifications. The collection gathers representative examples from across Europe and beyond. In Marseille, the Alcazar Grand Theatre has displayed a façade decorated with oriental patterns since 1857. The Great Synagogue of Brussels, inaugurated in 1878, demonstrates the adoption of this style in Belgian religious architecture. In Germany, Drachenburg Castle near Bonn incorporates Moorish elements into a late 19th-century villa. The movement also reaches unexpected locations: Brighton’s Royal Pavilion blends Indian and Islamic influences for a British royal seaside residence, while rural farms in Hälsingland, Sweden, include ornaments inspired by this orientalist trend. From Pena Palace overlooking Sintra to the Justo Sierra Synagogue in Mexico city, these buildings exemplify the international spread of an architectural style that profoundly marked its period.
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