Sarajevo Synagogue, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sarajevo Synagogue is Sarajevo's primary and largest synagogue and is located on the south bank of the river Miljacka. It was constructed in 1902 and remains the only functioning synagogue in Sarajevo today.

A Sephardi synagogue is known to have been built in 1581 with the donation of Turkish Beylerbey Sijamush Pasha to help members of the Jewish community in Sarajevo who were poor. By the end of the 16th century, the space encompassing Velika Avlija was turned into the first synagogue. The building burned down in both 1679 and 1778, and was rebuilt each time. It now serves as a Jewish museum. Next door is the New Synagogue (Novi Hram) serving as an art gallery owned by the Jewish community of Sarajevo.

Ashkenazi Jews arrived in Sarajevo during the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the late 19th century. The Sarajevo Ashkenazi synagogue was designed by Karel Pařík and built in 1902.

The Sephardic community constructed their own Il Kal Grande synagogue of 1932, acknowledged as the largest and most ornate synagogues in the Balkans. It was devastated by the Nazis in 1941 during World War II, but the Ashkenazi synagogue was able to escape destruction.

The Holocaust in the 1940s and the civil war during the 1990s left fewer than 5,700 Jews in former Yugoslavia. The Jewish community, like the entire country, was once defined by its unique combination of eastern and western traditions. Populations of Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews peacefully co-existed with their Christian and Muslim neighbors in Sarajevo and elsewhere in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Architecture

It was designed in the Moorish Revival, which was a popular choice for synagogues in the empire.

The synagogue has enormous arches with richly painted decorations. The high, ornate ceiling was highlighted by a ten-pointed star. Today the synagogue is confined to the women's galleries on the upper floor. At the entrance, a stone menorah commemorates the 400-year anniversary of the Jews in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

References:

Wikipedia

Religious sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina

User Reviews

Carol Scott (3 years ago)
Beautiful Moorish architecture. Only functioning synagogue in Sarajevo. Small gift shop sells reproductions of Sarajevo Haggadah.

Melik Babur (3 years ago)
This is the entrance, it might look close but gate is not locked. Opening time is 10-14. 2KM per person. Only praying room is visited inside.

Awanya Aram (4 years ago)
My very first succedded attempt to go inside a jewish synagoge. I think and its abvious that they have many restriktions and limitations for visitors all over the world. Here in Sarajevo its open monday-friday(10am-2pm). Men must have a hat( called kappa) before they enter the temple. They have ceremonies on fridays evening but not open to visitors(non jewish). There will be an english tourguide which will answer your questions.

M.S.V. Traveller (4 years ago)
Ashkenazi Synagogues are spiritual best places

Simplyatraveller (4 years ago)
Interesting and unique Synagogue in Europe.

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Sarajevo Synagogue

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