Mainz is one of the oldest Jewish communities in Europe and was a significant center of Jewish scholarship during the Middle Ages. The main synagogue built in 1912 on Hindenburgstraße was destroyed on Kristallnacht in 1938. Decades later, a new Jewish community center with a synagogue was erected at the same location – a symbol of the continuing Jewish life in Mainz.
The New Synagogue was ceremoniously consecrated on September 3, 2010. Designed by the Cologne architect Manuel Herz, the building's distinctive language of form reflects the Hebrew word Keduschah (Sanctification) – the five letters structure the building. The green-glazed ceramic elements on the façade and the striking, asymmetrical shape make a clear architectural statement that consciously departs from traditional forms.
The New Synagogue is not only a place of faith and community but also a site of remembrance: In the forecourt, reconstructed fragments of the columned portico of the old synagogue from 1912 stand, bridging the past and present. The renaming of Hindenburgstraße to "Synagogenplatz" also takes into account the historical and current significance of Jewish life in Mainz within the cityscape.
Visit: Guided tours of the New Synagogue are available by prior arrangement. During these tours, visitors gain insights into the history of the Jewish community, the architecture of the building, and the community life today.
