Grande Synagogue, Geneva
Geneva's pink-striped Grande Synagogue. Photo by the author.
East end of the Grande Synagogue. Photo by Eszter Hargittai.
The Grande Synagogue (officially named the Beth Yaakov Synagogue) is the Ashkenazi synagogue of Geneva, Switzerland.
History
This beautiful old synagogue was built in 1858-59 when the Genevan government finally allowed minorities to build religious buildings within the city walls. It was designed by the Swiss architect Jean-Henri Bachofen.
There had been a Jewish community in Geneva since the early 1800s, who worshipped at a synagogue in the suburb of Carouge. When the Grande Synagogue was built, the community numbered less than 200 members.
Listed as a historical monument in 1995, the Grande Synagogue was renovated in 1997 according to its original design.
What to See
The synagogue's style is Byzantine-Moorish, a common theme in 19th-century European synagogues. The design is meant to symbolize the Jews' eastern origins in Israel as well as the community's former glory in Muslim Spain.
The synagogue's striking exterior features a large dome over an octagonal base and walls painted in plain gray on the lower level and striped pink and white on the upper level. Entrance is on the west end, which has Moorish-style horseshoe arches and a Hebrew inscription over the double doors. The east wall has a Byzantine-style apse.
The interior is decorated in a predominately Moorish style, with a two-story Holy Ark surrounded by white arches at the east end. The bimah is situated immediately in front of the Ark, and the women's section is in the upper galleries on both sides.
Map
Location map and satellite view of the Grande Synagogue. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. You can explore all of Geneva from space on our Geneva Map.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Beth Yaakov Synagogue; Grande Synagogue; Great Synagogue; Ashkenazi Synagogue |
| Type of site: | Ashkenazi synagogue |
| Address: | Place de la Synagogue, Geneva CH, 1204 |
| Neighborhood: | Plainpalais |
| Services: | Ashkenazi rituals. Morning service daily at 7.15am and on Sunday at 8am. Friday night service at 7.30pm and Shabbat morning service at 9.30am. |
Sources
- Beth Yaakov Synagogue, Geneva, Switzerland - The Database of Jewish Communities
- Personal visit (exterior only; December 2006).
