Synagogue of Montbéliard, Romanesque Revival synagogue in Montbéliard, France.

The Synagogue of Montbéliard is a neo-Romanesque building erected in 1888 by the local architect Charles-Frédéric Surleau, with round-arched windows, pilasters and a round-arched portal. Its grey gabled facade, weathered and stained, has a round window high in the gable above two tall arched windows with dark mullions. The entrance is framed by concentric moulded voussoirs around a light blue double door, and the side wall repeats three tiers of arched windows.

The building was constructed in 1888 following the arrival of Alsatian Jews who relocated to Montbéliard after the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. The establishment of this community represented the growth of a new Jewish presence in the city.

Inside, two gilded musical angels sit on either side at the top of the Holy Ark. Their design draws both on the cherubim that surmounted the original Ark of the Covenant in the Temple of Jerusalem and on Christian art, which combines angelic figures with mythological loves. Services are still held here on the major holidays, including Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

To arrange a visit, contact the Jewish Cultural Association at least two weeks in advance, as regular public access is not available. The building is visited by appointment only.

Though originally designed to hold 200 worshippers, services are now held only during major Jewish holidays due to changes in the local Jewish population. This shift shows how the community has evolved since the synagogue's earliest days.