The Dohány Street Synagogue, also known as the Great Synagogue or Nagy Zsinagóga, stands at Dohány utca 2 in Budapest's Jewish quarter. It is the largest synagogue in Europe and the second largest in the world, and its size alone makes it one of the most striking buildings in the city.
The building is a fine example of Moorish Revival architecture. Its façade and interior show the warm, patterned style that gives the synagogue its distinctive look, and visitors often spend as much time looking up as they do looking around.
What to see
- The main synagogue space, whose scale and decoration are the chief reason people come.
- The Jewish Museum, housed within the complex, which presents the history and traditions of Budapest's Jewish community.
- The Holocaust memorial on the grounds, a place for quiet reflection on the lives lost during the war.
Visiting
The synagogue suits anyone interested in architecture, religion or the history of central Europe. Because it is also a memorial, many visitors find it a moving place to spend an hour or two, and it is worth allowing time to move through the museum at an unhurried pace. For opening times, prices and any conditions on visits, contact the synagogue directly by telephone on +36 1 413 5584.
Dohány Street sits in the heart of the former Jewish quarter, so a visit pairs naturally with a walk through the surrounding streets, with their cafés, courtyards and small shops, and with other sights in central Budapest.
