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The Hurva Synagogue is one of the most prominent buildings in the UNESCO World Heritage listed Old City of Jerusalem. It’s located on Hurva Square in the Jewish Quarter.
History
In the early 18th century, a synagogue was built atop the ruins of an earlier 15th century synagogue. It was destroyed by Ottoman authorities in 1720. The plot stayed empty for over 130 years and became known as the Hurva (Ruin).
Between 1857 and 1864, another synagogue was built on the plot. Its official name was the Beis Yaakov Synagogue, but locals referred to it as the Hurva Synagogue. It was designed by Ottoman architect Esad Efendi, a court architect of Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid I. It was the main Ashkenazi synagogue in Jerusalem until it was destroyed by the Jordanians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
After Israel captured Jerusalem in the Six-Day War in 1967, there were several plans to rebuild the Hurva Synagogue. Instead, in 1977, a commemorative arch was erected. A plan to rebuild the synagogue true to its original 19th century style was finally approved in 2000. The current Hurva Synagogue was dedicated on March 15, 2010. It was designed by Jerusalem architect Nahum Meltzer.
Visiting
The Hurva Synagogue is open to tourists Sunday through Thursday. Adult admission is ₪20 with an extra fee for guided tours (as of November 2023). I highly recommend the guided tour, which takes about 45 minutes.
Observation Deck
We had about an hour to kill before our guided tour, so we paid the admission and rode the elevator up to the veranda. Once at the top, there was a pair of spiral staircases up to an observation deck around the dome. Interpretive panels let us know what to look out for.
We were able to spot many landmarks from the dome. To the east, we could see the Mount of Olives as well as the buildings on the Temple Mount.
To the north, we could see other buildings in the Jewish Quarter as well as the bell towers of churches in the Christian Quarter. The largest two domes belonged to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Directly underneath, we watched people moving around Hurva Square. We also got a good look at the minaret of the abandoned Sidna Omar Mosque, which is right next to the synagogue.
Archaeological Area
Next, we went down to the basement of the Hurva Synagogue where there’s an archaeological area. Several ruins were discovered in the area in the 1970s. The first section contains a private ritual bath from an upper class home dating back to the Second Temple period. To the right is a Mamluk industrial installation from the 14th century.
Further along is a paved Byzantine street dating back to the 6th century. It was built over a Second Temple ritual bath and led to the Cardo.
A stairway leading down then immediately back up took us to a Byzantine arch at the intersection of the paved street and the Cardo.
Guided Tour
Finally, it was time to begin our guided tour. We met our guide in the lobby and waited for the rest of the group to arrive, then walked up to the women’s gallery to begin the tour. The guide talked about the history of the Hurva Synagogue and answered questions.
Next, our guide took us back up to the observation deck on the dome. We were able to stand on a walkway lining the inside of the dome and look down on the synagogue.
Of special interest was the Torah ark, which is supposedly the tallest in the world. The guide also pointed out the difference in the materials used to build the walls. The architect used foundations and walls of the ruined synagogue in the new construction so visitors wouldn’t forget what happened to the original Hurva Synagogue.
We also learned that in 2005, an underground arms cache was discovered under the ark. Mortars and grenades were hidden there in 1938 by the Irgun. Israeli soldiers didn’t know about the cache during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and they remained hidden until construction of the new synagogue.
We noticed murals on the four corners supporting the dome. The guide explained that they represent the Four Holy Cities of Judaism, which are Jerusalem, Hebron, Safed, and Tiberias.
After we had some more time to enjoy the views, the guide took the group down to the archaeological area to finish the tour.
