Samara Choral Synagogue, Jewish religious building in Samara, Russia.
The Samara Choral Synagogue is a Jewish house of worship in central Samara, built in the Moorish Revival style. Its facade features horseshoe arches, patterned tilework, and geometric ornamentation that set it apart from the surrounding Russian architecture.
The building was completed in 1908, designed by architect Selman Weniaminowitsch Kleinerman at a time when the local Jewish community was growing and needed a permanent gathering place. During the Soviet period it was closed and repurposed, then returned to the Jewish community after the Soviet Union ended.
The synagogue is one of the few active Jewish houses of worship remaining in the Volga region, and it continues to serve the local community today. From the outside, the Moorish ornamentation was a deliberate way of making Jewish identity visible in the city's streetscape.
The synagogue is in central Samara and easy to reach on foot from nearby streets. Since it is an active place of worship, it is worth checking opening times before visiting and dressing modestly when entering the building.
Moorish Revival was an unusual style for a synagogue in Russia at the time because the style was more commonly associated with Islamic architecture than with Jewish worship. Kleinerman adopted it anyway, following a trend that had already spread through Jewish communities in Western Europe.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
