Mediaş Synagogue

The Synagogue and Archives of the Jewish Community of Medias

The synagogue complex from Medias is located in the historical center of the city and it includes the synagogue, built in 1896, the Rabbi’s House and the former Jewish school and ritual bath (and later, the public bath), situated in the basement. The buildings surround an inner garden, which will soon be designed to host cultural events.

The architecture of the synagogue is 19^th century eclectic, with Romantic and Moorish influences: laced profiles, tall and rounded windows etc. The interior paintings, though affected by the passage of time, still maintain the vibrancy of the colors and the atmosphere from days past. The synagogue is no longer a prayer house, ever since the local Jewish community was closed, at the end of the 90’s, for lack of members.

The synagogue can be visited every Sunday, from 10AM to 3PM, accompanied by a guide who can answer your questions related to the former community and Jewish tradition, in general. Groups are kindly requested to contact the guide in advance, to schedule their visit.

The Rabbi’s House, as it is currently known, is the former residence of the two rabbis who served the community, successively, since 1894 until 1945. Subsequently, it became the headquarters of the Jewish community administration. At the moment, it hosts the archive of the former Jewish community, which includes administrative, financial documents, newspapers and photographs, as well as a number of personal documents. There is also a section for old prayer books and other books with religious content.

The building is also hosting numerous cultural and educational activities organized throughout the year by the small team that runs the synagogue complex. To find out more about these activities, past and future, please visit our facebook page www.facebook.com/sinagogamedias.