Leopoldstädter Tempel

The Leopoldstädter Tempel, painted by Rudolf von Alt

Inside view of the Leopoldstädter Tempel

The Leopoldstädter Tempel was the largest synagogue of Vienna, in the district (Bezirk) of Leopoldstadt. It was also known as the Israelitische Bethaus in der Wiener Vorstadt Leopoldstadt. It was built in 1858 in a Moorish Revival style by the architect Ludwig Förster. The tripartite facade of the Leopoldstädter with its tall central section flanked by lower wings on each side became the model for numerous Moorish Revival synagogues, including the Zagreb Synagogue, the Spanish Synagogue in Prague, the Tempel Synagogue in Kraków and Templul Coral in Bucharest.

It was destroyed during the Reichskristallnacht on November 10, 1938. A memorial plaque on the site reads in German (and Hebrew):

"Hier befand sich der Leopoldstädter Tempel, der im Jahre 1858 nach Plänen von Architekt Leopold Förster im maurischen Stil errichtet und am 10. November 1938 in der sogenannten "Reichskristallnacht" von den nationalsozialistischen Barbaren bis auf die Grundmauern zerstört wurde. -Israelische Kultusgemeinde Wien" (Here stood the Leopoldstädter Tempel, built in 1858 in the moorish style according the plans of architect Leopold Förster, all but the foundation of which was completely destroyed by National Socialist barbarians on the so-called "Night of Broken Glass", on 10 November 1938).

Synagogues that echo the Leopoldstädter Tempel architecturally

The Tempel, which housed a prestigious congregation in the capital of the Empire, inspired the building of any Moorish Revival synagogues, including several that echo Forster's building in the flat facade and roof, tripartie massing with a large central block, symmetrical decorative minarets, and internal basilica plan with balconies.

• Zagreb Synagogue
• Vercelli Synagogue
• Plum Street Temple
• Tempel Synagogue (Kraków)

Famous members

• Josef Goldstein, who was cantor at the synagogue
• Adolf Jellinek, who was rabbi at the synagogue

Gallery

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  Memorial plaque at the site of synagogue

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  Memorial mosaic at Tempelgasse

See also

• History of the Jews in Austria
• Stadttempel

References

• Kalmar, Ivan Davidson (2001). "Moorish Style: Orientalism, the Jews, and Synagogue Architecture" (PDF). Jewish Social Studies History Culture and Society 7 (3): 68. doi:10.2979/JSS.2001.7.3.68. http://www.library.utoronto.ca/moorish/publications/moorish.style.pdf. Retrieved 19 March 2008. 
• Förster, Ludwig (1859). "Das Israelitische Verhaus in der Wiener Vorstadt Leopoldstadt" (in German). Allgemeine Bauzeitung (Vienna). http://anno.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/anno-plus?apm=0&aid=abz&datum=18590004&seite=00000229&zoom=0. Retrieved 29 January 2012. 
• Martens, Bob; Herbert Peter (2011). "The Destroyed Synagogues of Vienna - Virtual city walks". Vienna: LIT Verlag.