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Synagogues became key religious buildings after the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD.

 

The Synagogue of Budapest in Dohány Street is the world's second largest synagogue and it is the most monumental one together with the synagogue of Amsterdam. It was designed by Ludwig Förster in Moorish style, and it took four years to complete the building. Frederick Feszl, the famous architect of Vigado designed the interior of the sanctuary. The synagogue was officially inaugurated on 6th September 1859.

 

The facade of the building is exactly in accordance with the religious requirements which means that it faces Jerusalem, so that’s why it is not entirely parallel to the axis of the street. The towers are of 44 metres heigh; you can read a Biblical quote above the main entrance: "Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them". The ghetto was established here in 1944, its entrance was accessible from Wesselényi street. More than 70.000 people crowded in the synagogue and surrounding buildings. Many of them starved or died of disease or were murdered by nazis, they were burried in the courtyard of the synagogue. Most of them are now burried in Jewish cemeteries, however 7000 unidentified dead are still placed here. A fragment of the wall of the ghetto was left at the courtyard to remind forthcoming generations of the sacrifices of thousands of innocent people. You can find a memorial statue designed by Imre Varga in Raoul Wallenberg Park which resembles a willow tree made of metal having names of some of the victims on its leaves.