New Synagogue, Dresden

New Synagogue, Dresden

The New Synagogue in Dresden was built in 2001 at the location of the well known old Synagogue. The old Synagogue was burned by the Nazis in 1938 during the infamous Kristallnacht when hundreds of synagogues in Germany and Austria were ransacked and razed. The new synagogue is a new modernist building unlike other restored buildings in the location that maintain their Baroque architectural style.

The old synagogue that once stood at the location of the new Synagogue was designed by well known Dresden architect, Gottfried Semper. It was called the Semper Synagogue and was built between 1839 and 1840. The boundary walls of the new synagogue are the last remaining portions of the building designed by Semper. After World War II efforts and contributions from around the world especially that of Gunter Globel, the 1999 winner of the Nobel prize for medicine helped the small Jewish community in Dresden to establish a new Synagogue. The new structure was completed in 2001. The building was designed by architects, Rena Wandel-Hoefer and Wolfgang Lorch. The architecture resembles the first Israelite temples in Jerusalem with a square shape and no windows.

The sanctuary building is a cube like structure with a square space for worship. Chain mesh curtains are hung all around giving the interiors a rich finesse. One of the relics preserved from the old synagogue is the Star of David that was saved by a fireman during Kristallnacht and returned to the Jewish community after the war.

The structure is a monument to survival despite one of the worst acts of sectarian carnage in history.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Dresden. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

New Synagogue on Map

Sight Name: New Synagogue
Sight Location: Dresden, Germany (See walking tours in Dresden)
Sight Type: Religious

Walking Tours in Dresden, Germany

Create Your Own Walk in Dresden

Create Your Own Walk in Dresden

Creating your own self-guided walk in Dresden is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Dresden Introduction Walking Tour

Dresden Introduction Walking Tour

Dresden was likely settled on the banks of the River Elbe by Neolithic tribes as far back as 7,500 BC. But it also has a long and storied history as the long-time capital of Saxony. The Electors and Kings lived here for centuries, appointing the city with every cultural and artistic treasure.

Its modern form--and its name--comes from early Germanic people, who expanded East to mine the Ore...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Dresden New Town Walk

Dresden New Town Walk

The Neustadt (New Town) of Dresden is a central district located on the north bank of the Elbe. Despite the name, this part of the city is not at all new and has been inhabited for as long as the Old Town on the opposite side of the river. Its “novelty” derives from "Neue Königliche Stadt" (New Royal Town), which is the title given to the area, formerly the district of Altendresden,...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles
Dresden's Architectural Jewels

Dresden's Architectural Jewels

If there is one thing Dresden is particularly famous for, it is the magnificent architecture. Although known primarily for its Baroque buildings, the city has several other architectural styles present too, such as Renaissance, Historicism, Modernism and Post-modernism.

Much of downtown Dresden was destroyed in February 1945 by Allied bombing, which in turn prompted the rebuilding of the...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles