The Hungarian capital Budapest is home to the largest synagogue in Europe. This is due to the fact that the largest Jewish religious community of the Old World - about 100 thousand people - lives in Budapest. The main synagogue is located in the very center of the capital. It was built in the 19th century in the Byzantine-Moorish style, which caused a mixed reaction. At first glance, the synagogue resembles a mosque with two minarets.
Since the 19th century, the Jewish community in Hungary has been the most active and numerous in all of Europe. She also put forward the idea of creating a central synagogue in Budapest. All Jews wanted a magnificent structure, the largest synagogue in the Old World.
Collection of donations began in the middle of the 19th century, and the construction of a synagogue in the Jewish quarter of the city began in 1854. The synagogue project was prepared by the Austrian architect Ludwig Förster, and the interior decoration of the building was carried out by the Viennese architect Friedsch Fesl.
The Byzantine-Moorish style did not find understanding and approval among all Jews, but this was the wish of the community - the synagogue should resemble the Middle East in appearance.
The synagogue was inaugurated on September 6, 1859. Since that time, it has been considered the largest in the world after the Emmanuel Synagogue in New York. Three naves in the synagogue are designed to receive 3 thousand believers.
In 1931, another building, smaller in size, was added to the synagogue, and this was symbolic - it was erected on the site of the house in which the founder of Zionism, Theodor Herzel, was born. Now there is the Jewish Museum of Budapest.
Since the opening day, not only religious services have been held in the synagogue, but also social events. Franz Liszt, French composer Camille Saint-Saens and others performed their musical works in the synagogue.
