Great Synagogue, Marseille, France

When the previous synagogue on the Rue Grignan in Marseille was in disrepair and too small, a campaign began in 1855 to raise money for a new site. The design by the architect Nathan Salomon was approved in 1860 and the building finished in 1864.

The synagogue takes the basilica form more commonly associated with ancient Greece and Rome, and churches. It is built in the Romano-Byzantine style, and takes influence from the Synagogue de Nazareth, completed in Paris in 1852. A pulpit and an organ – both also associated more with Christian buildings than Jewish ones – feature inside, and the mix of Western and Oriental designs was chosen to reflect the diversity of the worshippers.

Religious sites in France

User Reviews

Isaac Penya (2 years ago)
Extraordinary reception of the Marseillais on the occasion of the annual National Rabbinical Congress. THANKS

Antoine Shapiro (2 years ago)
This community made people want to move to Marseille. Very friendly community, excellent chazan, professional singer. Think of moving here after a visit.

Olivier Guez (3 years ago)
Very beautiful synagogue where the great Rabbi Sitruk was able in the 80s to lead this beautiful Marseille community with a lot of humor, talent and accuracy

Roy Guedj (4 years ago)
Magnificent place of worship. Moving. Safety is at the rendezvous when it was more the chuppah of my little brother.

ציפי אלפרוביץ (6 years ago)
Synagogue. Beautiful and magnificent

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Zvonimir Hrvoj

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The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

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Great Synagogue

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