Mainz is one of the oldest Jewish communities in Europe and was a significant center of Jewish scholarship in the Middle Ages. The main synagogue built in 1912 on Hindenburgstraße was destroyed during the Night of Pogroms in 1938. Decades later, a new Jewish community center with a synagogue was established at the very same location – a visible symbol of the continuing Jewish life in Mainz.
The New Synagogue was ceremonially opened on September 3, 2010. Designed by the Cologne architect Manuel Herz, the building's unique design is based on the Hebrew word Keduschah (sanctification), whose five letters shape the structure of the building. The green-glazed ceramic elements on the facade and the distinctive, asymmetrical form make a clear architectural statement that consciously sets itself apart from traditional building forms.
The synagogue is not only a place of faith and community but also a place of remembrance. In the forecourt stand reconstructed fragments of the column portico of the old synagogue from 1912, connecting the past and present. With the renaming of Hindenburgstraße to "Synagogue Square," the historical and current significance of Jewish life is also reflected in the urban landscape.
Visitation: Guided tours of the New Synagogue are available by prior arrangement. Visitors gain insights into the history of the Mainz Jewish community, the architecture of the building, and the current communal life.
