Attraction
Beth Israel Synagogue (former Neolog Synagogue), Brașov
The Beth Israel Synagogue (formerly the Neolog Synagogue) in Brașov, built between 1899 and 1901 to designs by Hungarian architect Lipót Baumhorn, is a 657 sqm building in Neo-Gothic style with Moorish accents, located at 29 Poarta Șchei Street. Renamed Beit Israel in 2014, it has housed an Orthodox Jewish congregation since 2015. The building is a historic monument reflecting the history of Transylvania's Jewish community, dramatically reduced by the deportations of World War II. It is easily reached from the historic center, about 300 meters from Council Square.
The Beth Israel Synagogue in Brașov, historically known as the Neolog Synagogue, is located at 29 Poarta Șchei Street, near Șchei Gate, one of the historic entrances to the city's medieval citadel. The building was constructed between 1899 and 1901, to designs by Hungarian architect Lipót (Leopold) Baumhorn (1860-1932), a recognized specialist in Central European synagogue architecture, and was officially inaugurated on 20 August 1901.
The synagogue belonged to Brașov's Neolog Jewish community, a reform branch of Judaism that emerged after the 1877 religious split, which divided the local community into Neolog and Orthodox (traditionalist) factions — each building its own house of worship. Brașov's Jewish community reached its demographic peak in the first half of the 20th century (from 769 members in 1890 to 6,000 in 1940), with numbers dropping sharply after the deportations and emigration of World War II and the communist decades that followed.
The building, covering 657 sqm with a capacity of about 600 people, is built in Neo-Gothic style with Moorish accents, following a three-nave basilica plan. It features Gothic decorative elements (rosettes, window and door frames) and Romanesque details, horseshoe arches, and an upper gallery originally intended for women. The building was renovated in 2001, marking its 100th anniversary.
In October 2014, the building was renamed Beit Israel ("House of Israel"), and since 2015 it has housed an Orthodox Jewish congregation — a shift from its original Neolog purpose; as part of this change, the bimah was moved from the end of the nave to its center, following Orthodox practice. The building has been listed on Brașov County's list of historic monuments since 2015 (code BV-II-m-B-11515). It is reached on foot from Brașov's historic center, about 300 meters from Council Square. The synagogue is worth visiting for its architectural value, representative of the Moorish style from the Austro-Hungarian era, and for documenting the history of Transylvania's Jewish community.
Strada Poarta Schei 29 Brașov