Glockengasse Synagogue
Cologne's destroyed 1861 synagogue — a domed central building on a Greek cross plan with Alhambra-style decor; today a bronze plaque marks the site.
since 1857
The Glockengasse Synagogue stood in Cologne and was built to designs by cathedral master builder Ernst Friedrich Zwirner. It was destroyed during the November Pogroms of 1938.
Source: Wikipedia
At a Glance
- Type
- Synagogue (no longer standing)
- Location
- Glockengasse 5–7, Cologne
- Architect
- Ernst Friedrich Zwirner
- Foundation stone laid
- 30 June 1857
- Inaugurated
- 29 August 1861
- Distinctive feature
- Interior decor modeled on the Alhambra
- Today
- Bronze plaque on the opera house at the edge of Offenbachplatz
Age comparison
Age compared with other places in Cologne.
History
The synagogue was built on the site of the former Poor Clares convent of St. Maria im Tempel. Banker and patron Baron Abraham von Oppenheim covered the entire construction cost. The building burned out in 1867 and was rebuilt according to the original plans. Like other Cologne synagogues, it was destroyed during the November Pogroms of 1938. Today a bronze plaque on the façade of the opera house at the edge of Offenbachplatz marks the former location.
Design and Layout
The building was considered the earliest example of a domed central structure on a Greek cross plan. As in Byzantine architecture, the four arms of the cross were of equal size, creating corner spandrel spaces — the northern ones served as staircases to the women's galleries. The dome was inscribed within the central square, at the heart of which stood the bimah; this central placement adhered to older tradition, unlike the Reform-inspired design of the Roonstraße synagogue. Facing the street, a lower vestibule with five rooms provided access, an entrance portal for men, and housing for the synagogue caretaker.
Architecture and Furnishings
The supporting structure of columns and arches was made of cast iron, with the cross arms covered by barrel vaults. Three arms featured two-tiered galleries, and the Aron haKodesch (Torah ark) stood in the eastern one. The stucco work by Josef Hartzheim displayed an interlocking diamond pattern, painted in blue, red, and gold by Friedrich Petri, echoing the stucco decoration of the Alhambra's chambers. The dome and vaults remained unstuccoed, painted blue with golden stars. Outside, a projecting central bay, a crenellated crown, and four minaret-like turrets with onion domes formed the upper silhouette, while the rose window in the main façade showed Gothic influence. Cologne sculptor Stephan carved the Aron haKodesch from white Carrara marble with a horseshoe arch, echoing both the Alhambra's capitals and the onion-domed turrets of the exterior. From the same marble he crafted the basin of the mikveh in the basement.
Map
Blue dots: other places nearby — tap to explore.
You might also like — related or nearby
Comments
- Loading comments…
Sources & links
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-30
How this page is made
This page draws on open sources — Wikipedia, Wikidata, official websites and the city’s open data. Every statement is checked against the sources linked here, and pages are refreshed regularly.
Spotted a mistake anyway? Tell us below — we read every submission.