Rumbach Street synagogue

The former synagogue of conservative status quo ante municipality located in the Rumbach utca 11-13 in the 7th district of the Hungarian capital Budapest Erzsébetváros. It was built in 1869-1872 according to the plans of the Austrian architect Otto Wagner in the historicist style. The synagogue is his only building in Hungary.

History

After the introduction of the legal equality of the Jews in Hungary in 1867 the provincial Congress of the Israelites occurred in Hungary and Transylvania from December 1868 to February 1869 together to determine the organization of the community. Here, however, there was a rift between the different faiths that have occurred in the construction of their own synagogues after themselves. Dominant was the liberal direction that would enforce a modernization of worship and cultural assimilation. The small Orthodox community led henceforth a life of its own. The third flow within the community was referred to as the status quo ante movement; they wanted to opt for either the one nor the other direction, the reform decisions not contributed and wanted to stay with the status before the state congress, which was a compromise between the two directions - hence the name.

After the dominant liberal Jews used the Great Synagogue, the space in the Orczy House previously used but were always precarious, the status quo municipality decided to build its own synagogue. The tender was won by the Viennese architect Otto Wagner, but not himself came to Budapest, but his staff Maurus Kallina sent, who took over the construction management. The high construction costs were, as usual, raised through the sale of seats of the future synagogue. In addition to the synagogue, which was opened on October 1, 1872, also an adjoining house was built with the apartments for rabbis, teachers, and employees, as well as study rooms and a girls' school.

1941 was assigned as temporary shelter by the Hungarian authorities, the synagogue Jewish refugees from abroad. Later, she was part of the ghetto. After the building suffered severe damage in 1944, it was a long time by the communist authorities not repaired. Only in the 1980s, a partial restoration took place. The use of the building is still unclear; the status quo church no longer exists and a final restoration is still pending. The synagogue is but a historical monument.

Specifications

How many synagogues that time was built the synagogue in Rumbach utca in the oriental style. Pursuant to the request of customer Wagner followed their conservative preferences and their desire for a prestigious and magnificent building that could compete with the Great Synagogue. It can accommodate around 1,000 seats.

The decorative exterior of the building is dominated by a central projection, which is flanked by two minaret-like towers, tower over the height of the building. Between the towers, the Tablets of the Law of Moses crowning the buttress. The facade of the synagogue forms a unit with that of the house. The interior of the synagogue has an octagonal plan and is flanked by eight cast-iron columns supporting the dome roof. In the center is the Torah shrine and the lectern, as required by the conservative tradition. The windows are designed so that they make excessive use of artificial light unnecessary. In addition, the sun's rays are directed directly to the Torah shrine in the middle at a certain light. The walls of the interior are richly decorated.

Facade

The towers of the synagogue

Dome

Wall decor

Decor and Window

Parlous state

Plaque