bg Vidin

Vidin Synagogue

- Ulitsa Baba Vida 29 -
The construction of the multi-story building of the synagogue, which was built for religious purposes, started in 1893 and was completed in 1894. It was built on the site of an old synagogue that was destroyed during the . The construction was carried out with funds collected from the local Jews, as well as from Jews from all other parts of the Principality of Bulgaria. The construction of the altar was carried out by , a Czech sculptor and teacher in Vidin, while the lamps, chandeliers, and plates were brought from and other places in Austria. It was solemnly opened on September 28, 1894, by Doctor Mordechai Grunwald, the Chief Rabbi of Bulgaria. It's the second largest synagogue in Bulgaria, after the synagogue in . After the mass emigration of Jews from Bulgaria to Israel at the end of the 1940s and the restriction of religious worship in the People's Republic of Bulgaria, the use of the synagogue dropped significantly.
The altar created by Max Werich
Since 1950, the building lost its main function and was used as a warehouse, which greatly worsened its condition. In the 1970s, a major renovation began with the aim of adapting it, due to its good acoustics, for symphonic concerts. On March 9, 2017, the owner of the synagogue, which was the Organization of Jews in Bulgaria called Shalom, at a general meeting decided to donate the building to the municipality of Vidin. Between 2021 and 2023, restoration works of the building were executed, after which the synagogue turned into a cultural center.
An old postcard that depicts the building
The symmetrical Neo-Gothic and Romanesque building features four towers of which the roof is crowned with a . The part underneath the roof , which can be seen around the entire building, is embellished with . Most of the abundantly present , which can be also seen around the entire building, contain a Star of David. The Star of David can also be seen in some of the windows, as well as some of the . The huge arch in which the entrance portal is located, which is adorned with two , features four columns, which are crowned with a Romanesque . The columns that are used in the entrance portals are on the other hand crowned with a Doric capital. The beautiful wooden entrance doors, which contain some lovely iron-barred windows, are decorated with and .
The building is shown in an old postcard