As I have already pointed out that both of us are avid lovers of anything associated with history, we weren’t in the mood of missing out any such thing. We had planned our journey accordingly and the next destination in our list was the Portuguese Synagogue. It is also called as the Snoge or Esnoga and is located in Amsterdam.
It is a Sephardic synagogue which was constructed in 1675. It is believed that the community of Amsterdam Sephardic is one of the richest and biggest Jewish groups in the European subcontinent especially during the Golden Age of the Dutch. The synagogue is a living symbol of the rich heritage of the Jewish community and has the ability to attract tourists throughout the year. There was a time when Jews comprised over ten percent of the entire population living in Amsterdam which ended at the time of Holocaust. Many Jews were forced to escape to Amsterdam after facing persecution in Portugal and Spain. In Netherlands, they enjoyed a feeling of religious tolerance which can hardly be found in the remaining countries of Europe.
It is a Sephardic synagogue which was constructed in 1675. It is believed that the community of Amsterdam Sephardic is one of the richest and biggest Jewish groups in the European subcontinent especially during the Golden Age of the Dutch. The synagogue is a living symbol of the rich heritage of the Jewish community and has the ability to attract tourists throughout the year. There was a time when Jews comprised over ten percent of the entire population living in Amsterdam which ended at the time of Holocaust. Many Jews were forced to escape to Amsterdam after facing persecution in Portugal and Spain. In Netherlands, they enjoyed a feeling of religious tolerance which can hardly be found in the remaining countries of Europe.
The synagogue was built at the expense of around 1,86,000 florins by architects Daniel Stalpaert and Elias Bouwman. Despite the need for minor reconstructions, the synagogue looks extremely similar to the one that was actually built around 340 years before. We could easily see that the architecture of the synagogue clearly depicted the wealth and self confidence of the community of the Jews living in Amsterdam. At the time of its construction, it had the reputation of being the largest synagogue in the world.
It is said that a temple of Salomon located in Jerusalem was used for inspiring the architects. We had to pay a very nominal €6.5 in order to enter the synagogue. The main building is surrounded by a mortuary, Ets Haim or Tree of Life, the rabbinate and different archives and offices. The sight of the wooden Tebah and Ark found in the interiors on the opposite sides was simply amazing. One of the members of the synagogue informed us that around 1000 candles are lit in two massive brass chandeliers at the time of service.
It is said that a temple of Salomon located in Jerusalem was used for inspiring the architects. We had to pay a very nominal €6.5 in order to enter the synagogue. The main building is surrounded by a mortuary, Ets Haim or Tree of Life, the rabbinate and different archives and offices. The sight of the wooden Tebah and Ark found in the interiors on the opposite sides was simply amazing. One of the members of the synagogue informed us that around 1000 candles are lit in two massive brass chandeliers at the time of service.