Tournelles Synagogue

When was this synagogue built and what is its history?

Tournelles Synagogue was built in 1876 under Napoleon III.
It was consecrated to Ashkenazi rite worship on September 15, 1876, for the Tishri New Year celebrations. It was frequented by Jews from Alsace and Lorraine, as well as emigrants from Poland, Tsarist Russia and other Central European countries.

From 1948 to 1960, the synagogue's last Ashkenazi rabbi was Rabbi Dr. David Feuerwerker (1912-1980).

What is the current rite of Tournelles Synagogue?

The Tournelles synagogue is a consistory synagogue of the Sephardic Constantinian rite.

Were there any significant events connected with this synagogue during the Second World War?

Yes, on the night of October 2 to 3, 1941, the synagogue was the victim of an attack organized by the Mouvement Social Révolutionnaire (MSR), a far-right party founded by Eugène Deloncle.

How would you describe the architecture of the Tournelles synagogue?

The architecture of the Tournelles synagogue is remarkable. It was designed by Marcellin-Emmanuel Varcollier, a pupil of Louis-Pierre Baltard.

Marcellin-Emmanuel Varcollier is also the architect of the Town Hall of the 18th arrondissement of Paris, located north of the Butte Montmartre.

The synagogue is an interesting example of the use of metal in construction, with contributions from the forges and workshops of Normandy. The façade features a stained-glass rose window and sculptures depicting the scrolls of the Law with Hebrew text. Inside, there's a large nave, a Holy Ark protected by a double wrought-iron door, and the synagogue has two floors.

When was the Tournelles Synagogue listed as a Monument Historique?

Tournelles Synagogue has been a listed building since December 29, 1987.

What was the significance of the construction of the Tournelles synagogue?

The construction of Tournelles Synagogue symbolizes the integration of French Jews into society and the economy in the 19th century, particularly during the Second Empire. Napoleon I had introduced this integration with the creation of the Consistoire.
The synagogue was built on the site of a former synagogue destroyed by fire, enabling the architects to design a building fully integrated into Parisian urban planning at the time. However, the main entrance was placed on the small Rue des Tournelles instead of the Place des Vosges due to the empress's refusal.

The mansion at 14 Place des Vosges was also used for administrative premises and accommodation for the Chief Rabbi of France, later becoming a second synagogue called Temple des Vosges or Charles Liché synagogue.

Where is the Tournelles synagogue and how do I get there?

Tournelles Synagogue is located at 21 bis rue des Tournelles, in the heart of the Marais district of Paris.
Tournelles Synagogue is accessible by public transport, particularly the metro. You can get to the synagogue using the Saint-Paul metro station, which is served by Paris metro line 1. This station is close to the synagogue, making it a convenient way to get there. Once at the Saint-Paul station, you can walk to the Tournelles synagogue.

Tournelles Synagogue in brief

Construction of the Synagogue des Tournelles began under Napoleon III and was completed shortly after the fall of the Empire.

Like the Synagogue de la rue de la Victoire, Tournelles Synagogue symbolizes the integration of France's Jews into the booming society and economy of the Second Empire (banking, industry, press, etc.), after Napoleon I himself had laid the foundation stone for this integration with the creation of the Consistoire.

Tournelles Synagogue was built on the site of a former synagogue destroyed by fire, giving architects the opportunity to imagine a building fully integrated into the emerging Haussmannian Paris. However, integration had its limits, as the Empress refused to allow the main entrance to Tournelles Synagogue to be located on a royal square (Place des Vosges). The building's construction was therefore reversed, with the main façade on the small Rue des Tournelles, and the mansion at 14 Place des Vosges was initially reserved for administrative offices and accommodation for the Chief Rabbi of France, before becoming a second synagogue, the “Temple des Vosges”, in the mid-1960s. For the sake of historical curiosity, it's worth recalling that the private mansion that extends Tournelles Synagogue onto Place des Vosges was the former Mairie de quartier du IVème arrondissement, before it was moved to Place Baudoyer. The building's roof still features a belfry and monumental interior staircase, reminders of its original purpose. The original decorations are preserved in the Musée Carnavalet of the City of Paris.

On September 15, 1876, Tournelles Synagogue was consecrated to the Achkenazi rite.

Site de la Synagogue des Tournelles

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