# Great Synagogue

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Muntenia](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/muntenia) › [București](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/city/bucuresti)

> A synagogue built in 1845–1846 by Ashkenazi Jews who had come from Poland, with a neoclassical façade and a painted, gilded hall; it houses the permanent exhibition on the Holocaust in Romania.

**At a glance:** Monuments and historic sites in București. The visit takes 30 min. Information verified on 26 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Visit duration:** 30 min — the hall and the exhibition
- **With kids:** Yes — exhibition on a heavy subject
- **Parking:** Yes, paid — in the city centre, paid
- **Best season:** All year round — all year
- **Address:** Strada Vasile Adamache 11, București
- **Coordinates:** 44.42956, 26.10861
- **Website:** https://www.jewishfed.ro/index.php/sinagogi-din-romania/392-sinagoga-mare-din-bucuresti
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Synagogue_(Bucharest)
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2916042
- **Categories:** [Monuments and historic sites](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/monumente-si-situri-istorice)

## About Great Synagogue

The Great Synagogue (Sinagoga Mare), on Strada Vasile Adamache, was built in 1845–1846 by the community of Ashkenazi Jews who had come from Poland, which is why it was first called the Polish Synagogue. It got the name “Great” because for a long time it was the largest house of prayer of the Jews of Bucharest. Services followed the Neolog rite, with a choir and an organ. The building was repaired in 1865, remodelled in 1903 by the architect Stomer and altered around the Ark in 1909 under Petre Antonescu; in 1936 the hall was repainted in Rococo style by Ghershon Horowitz.

After the earthquake of November 1940 and the devastation by the Legionaries in January 1941, the synagogue was repaired in 1945 and consolidated in 1980. In the 1980s, the blocks of flats built in the area hid it almost completely from the street. Today it is no longer used for regular services, and since the 1990s it has housed the permanent exhibition dedicated to the Jewish martyrs and to the Holocaust in Romania.

### What you can see

The yellow neoclassical façade has a round window with a Star of David and a Hebrew inscription above the portal. The hall, of over 700 m², is the most striking part: a ceiling painted with colourful medallions, galleries on the upper level, gilded chandeliers and a richly decorated Ark, with a Star of David and the Tablets of the Law above it. Panels with documents and photographs about the persecution of the Jews of Romania are displayed on the gallery walls.

### Good to know

The synagogue sits back between blocks of flats, near Piața Unirii, and is only partly visible from the street. It is a place of memory and of prayer: the theme of the exhibition is heavy, and the visit calls for decent dress.

## Don't miss

- The yellow neoclassical façade, with a round window in the shape of a Star of David.
- The ceiling painted with colourful medallions and the gilded chandeliers of the main hall.
- The richly decorated Ark, with a Star of David and the Tablets of the Law above it.
- The permanent exhibition on the Holocaust in Romania, on the hall's gallery.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** the synagogue is in the Piața Unirii area, on Strada Vasile Adamache, ~500 m from the [Choral Temple](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/templul-coral-bucuresti), another Jewish place of worship in the district. The area is busy, so the easiest option is to leave the car in a nearby car park and walk the last stretch.

**Public transport:** by metro to Piața Unirii station, then a few minutes on foot, or by the buses and trams that run through the centre.

### Where to park

The centre of Bucharest has paid street parking and nearby car parks; check the markings and the rate where you stop.

### Rules

A place of memory and of worship: decent dress, a low voice, and the objects, panels and decoration are not to be touched. Photography inside is done with respect for the place and the exhibits.

## Details

- **Historical period:** 1845–1846

## Frequently asked questions about Great Synagogue

**How long does a visit to Great Synagogue take?**

A visit to Great Synagogue takes about 30 min (the hall and the exhibition).

**Can you visit Great Synagogue with kids?**

Yes, Great Synagogue is suitable for children (exhibition on a heavy subject).

**Where can I park at Great Synagogue?**

There is paid parking at Great Synagogue (in the city centre, paid). The centre of Bucharest has paid street parking and nearby car parks; check the markings and the rate where you stop.

**How do I get to Great Synagogue?**

Great Synagogue is located at Strada Vasile Adamache 11, București. By car: the synagogue is in the Piața Unirii area, on Strada Vasile Adamache, ~500 m from the Choral Temple, another Jewish place of worship in the district. The area is busy, so the easiest option is to leave the car in a nearby car park and walk the last stretch. Public transport: by metro to Piața Unirii station, then a few minutes on foot, or by the buses and trams that run through the centre.

**When is the best time to visit Great Synagogue?**

The best season for Great Synagogue: All year round (all year).

## Nearby attractions

- [Choral Temple](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/templul-coral-bucuresti) — Monuments and historic sites · București · 30 min · 0 km
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  A small white church of the 17th–18th centuries, dedicated to Saints Athanasius and Cyril, on a little hill in Strada Radu Vodă and tied to the legend of the shepherd Bucur, said to have founded Bucharest.

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Last updated: 26 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania