Grande Synagogue, Geneva
Geneva's pink-striped Grande Synagogue. Photo
the author. 
East end of the Grande Synagogue. Photo
Eszter Hargittai.Location map and aerial view of the Grande Synagogue. For a larger
view, see our Geneva Map or get our free Google Earth download.
The Grande Synagogue (officially named the Beth Yaakov Synagogue) is the Ashkenazi synagogue of Geneva, Switzerland.
History
There has been a Jewish community in Geneva since the early 19th century; originally they worshipped at a synagogue in the Carouge suburb.
The Grande Synagogue was built in 1858-59, soon after the Genevan government allowed non-Protestant religious buildings within the city walls. At the time, the community only had about 200 members.
Listed as a historical monument in 1995, the Grande Synagogue was renovated in 1997 according to its original design.
What to See
Designed by Swiss architect Jean-Henri Bachofen, 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 Ashkenazi 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.
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
- Personal visit (exterior only; December 2006).
- Beth Yaakov Synagogue, Geneva, Switzerland - The Database of Jewish Communities
