Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

BUDAPEST 353

Great Synagogue u
Zsinagóga

Dohány utca 2. Map E3. Tel (01) 342

8949. q Astoria. v 74. Jewish
      Museum # Mar–Oct: 10am–6pm
      Mon–Thu & Sun, 10am–3pm Fri;
      Nov–Feb: 10am–3pm Mon–Thu &
      Sun, 10am–2pm Fri. & 8

The Great Synagogue is the
largest in Europe. Built in a
Byzantine-Moorish style
between 1854 and 1859 by
the Viennese archi tect Ludwig
Förster, it has three naves and,
in accordance with Ortho dox
tradition, separate galleries for
women. Together the naves
and galleries can accommo-
date up to 3,000 worshippers.
Some features, such as the
position of the reading plat-
form, reflect elements of
Judaic reform. The interior
has valuable decorative
fittings, such as those on the
Ark of the Law, by Frigyes

Feszl. In 1931, a Jewish

Museum was established here

with a vast collection of

historical relics, devotional

items and everyday objects,

from ancient Rome to the

present day. These include

the book of Chevra Kadisha

from 1792. There is also a

Holo caust Memorial Room.

A large rose window is flanked

by two richly decorated

towers crowned by distinctive

onion domes.

A Hebrew inscription from

the second book of Moses

is set under the rose window.

The façade has white

and red bricks and

intricately designed

ceramic friezes.

Detail of the Orthodox Synagogue,
Jewish Quarter

Jewish Quarter i

Zsidó Negyed

Király utca, Rumbach Sebestyén
utca, Dohány utca & Akácfa utca.
Map E3. q Deák Ferenc tér.

Jews first came to Hungary in
the 13th century, initially set-
tling in Buda and Óbuda and,
later, in the 19th century,
estab lish ing a larger commu-
nity outside the Pest city
boundary. In the late 19th cen-
tury, three syna gogues were
built and many Jewish shops
and work shops were estab-
lished. Kosher businesses
were a common feature of the

area. The Jewish

community became

well integrated into

Hungarian society

until, in 1941, a series

of anti-Semitic laws

were passed. In 1944, a

ghetto was created in

the area around the

Great Synagogue and

the deportation of thou-

sands of Jews to camps,

including Auschwitz (see

pp194–7), was implemen-

ted. In total, 600,000

Hungarian Jews were victims

of the Holocaust. A plaque on

the Orthodox Synagogue in

Rumbach utca com mem orates

the thousands of Jews sent

from Budapest. Today, the

Jewish Quarter is recover ing

its pre-ghetto character, and

shops are being rebuilt.

high point in the develop ment

of Budapest and in the history

of the Austro-Hungarian

monar chy. The city underwent

a huge programme of modern-

ization, with the con struction

of hundreds of civic buildings

and palaces as well as the

introduction of gas lighting

and Europe’s first under ground

transport system. The square

is surrounded by monu ments

includ ing the Museum of Fine

Arts, the Széchenyi Baths and

the Vajdahunyad Castle (see

p355) built in Városliget.

Dominating the square is

the Millennium Monument,

fea turing statues of pro minent

Hungarian leaders. The famous

Statue of Anonymous (1903),

by Miklós Ligeti, stands in

front of the castle.

Heroes’ Square o

Hősök tér

Király utca, Rumbach Sebestyén

utca, Dohány utca & Akácfa utca.

Map F1. q Hősök tere.

Heroes’ Square is a relic of

a proud age in Hungary’s

his t ory – it was here that

the Millennium Celebrations

opened in 1896. This marked a

Millennium Monument, Heroes’ Square