Great Choral Synagogue of St. Petersburg

The Great Choral Synagogue of St. Petersburg was built between 1880 and 1888. It was consecrated in 1893 and became the center for Jewish life in St. Petersburg. The synagogue is one of the largest in Europe and displays Moorish and Byzantine architectural styles. Its design was inspired by the Oranienburger Straße New Synagogue in Berlin. The permit for the construction of the synagogue was approved by Tsar Alexander II in 1869, after prominent Russian-Jewish figures Joseph Günzburg and Samuel Polyakov sent in a request for a house of worship in which the Jewish community of St. Petersburg could meet as a whole. From 2000 to 2005, the synagogue underwent major reconstruction thanks to a $5 million donation in 1999. The synagogue was officially renamed as the Edmond J Safra Grand Choral Synagogue, although the local Russian community still refers to it as the “Bolshaya Sinagoga.” The main hall of the synagogue seats 1200 people, including the three womens’ sections on the upper level. Today, the Great Choral Synagogue is a registered landmark and remains a cultural center for the Jewish community of St. Petersburg.