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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The synagogue of Colmar, built between 1839 and 1842 under the July monarchy, is the fourth of the city after centuries of persecution. The previous three were destroyed or confiscated (1279, 1349, and a third on an indeterminate date), reflecting the tormented history of the local Jewish community, which was prohibited from staying between the thirteenth and nineteenth centuries. Its erection marks the official revival of this community after centuries of exclusion.

The building, of antiquisant and neo-classical style, is distinguished by its rectangular plan and a western forebody adorned with a door in the middle of the corner engraved with a Hebrew verse of the prophet Isaiah. Inside, the main hall, covered with a boxed ceiling, houses a holy arch (aron-ha-qodesh) with ionic columns, topped at the origin of a rose today hidden by an adjacent construction (circa 1920). An opaque glass interior pyramid filters light to indicate prayer times, while the facade incorporates esoteric symbols inspired by the kabbal.

Classified as a historical monument in 1984, this synagogue is the only one in the region to have a bell tower, a rare feature for a Jewish place of worship. Its architecture reflects both the progressive integration of Jews into post-revolutionary French society and the preservation of ancestral symbolic traditions. The community, autonomous since the 19th century, still celebrates the offices there today, perpetuating a legacy marked by resilience.

The building, located 3 rue de la Cigogne, is owned by an association. Its history is documented by sources such as the Great East Inventory and local studies, including Janine Strauss (2005). The synagogue remains a major architectural testimony to the Alsatian Jewish heritage and to Colmar's turbulent history.

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