Monastiriotes Synagogue
Monastiriotes Synagogue is a two-storey basilica with central and side aisles.
Modern and Contemporary era (1912 - )
1925 Beginning of construction with plans by Eli Levy and a donation by Ida Aroesti. Completed 2 years later.
Ottoman era (1453- 1912)
Byzantine era (331 AC- 1453)
Roman era (30 BC- 330 AC)
Hellenistic era (322- 31 BC)
Classical era (478-323 BC)
Archaic era (800-479 BC)
Geometric era (-1100- 800 BC)
Prehistory (-1100 BC)
What I can see
The Monastiriotes Synagogue is the official synagogue of the city and one out of three currently in operation. It is a two-storey basilica with central and side aisles. Above the side aisles, there is a zenana and other facilities. At the entrance, there is a three-arched opening with two marble columns. The entire facade is of great architectural significance, clearly influenced by Byzantine architecture and the synagogues of Central Europe.
What I can't see
It is the only synagogue in Thessaloniki, which has the same form as it did before the Holocaust. It was not destroyed by the Nazis because it served as a storehouse for the Red Cross. At the time, it was the centre of the Jewish ghetto. Nowadays, annual events in memory of the more than 46,000 Jews, who were killed by the Nazis, also take place here. Finally, its name comes from the religious centre of the Jewish refugees of the Balkan Wars, from the city of Monastiri (Bitola), which is now in North Macedonia.
Info
- Address: 35 Syggrou St.
Bibliography
Open House Thessaloniki, (2019), Συναγωγή Μοναστηριωτών, [Monastirioton Jewish Synagogue], OHTh
