| Glockengasse Synagogue | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Judaism(former) |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Synagogue(1861–1938) |
| Status | Destroyed |
| Location | |
| Location | Cologne,North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Country | Germany |
  Location of the destroyed synagogue inNorth Rhine-Westphalia | |
| Geographic coordinates | 50°56′17″N6°57′05″E / 50.93806°N 6.95139°E /50.93806; 6.95139 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect | Ernst Friedrich Zwirner |
| Type | Synagogue architecture |
| Style | Moorish Revival |
| Funded by | |
| Destroyed | November 9, 1938 (onKristallnacht) |
| Specifications | |
| Domes | One central; four smaller |
| Dome height (outer) | 40 m (130 ft) |
| Dome dia. (outer) | 10 m (33 ft) |
TheSynagogue in Glockengasse was aJewishsynagogue, that was located inCologne, in the state ofNorth Rhine-Westphalia,Germany. Designed byErnst Friedrich Zwirner in theMoorish Revival style, the synagogue was completed in 1861 and destroyed byNazis on November 9, 1938, duringKristallnacht.
Zwirner, the architect of theCologne Cathedral, built the synagogue on the site of the former Monastery of St. Clarissa, where a modest hall of prayer had been erected in the years of theFrench occupation and was closed in 1853 because it was unsafe.[1]: 240
On June 10, 1856, after much discussion in the Jewish communal executive board about whether it was better to build a synagogue in the same or a different spot,Abraham Oppenheim, son ofSalomon Oppenheim, Jr., announced his readiness to erect a synagogue worthy of the Glockengasse at his own cost as a gift to the community. Drucker-Emden, a member of the Jewish communal administration, supported the decision.
The cornerstone was laid on June 23, 1857.[2]: 284 On August 29, 1861, there was a procession from the provisional synagogue on St. Apernstrasse along Breitestrasse and Kolumbastrasse to the new synagogue. The synagogue was dedicated to Rabbi Israel Schwarz. A memorial tablet dedicated to the donor was placed inside and a medal of silver and bronze was struck.[3]
In June 1867, fire damaged the building.[2]: 285 In the same yearAlbert [de], the son ofSimon Oppenheim [de], Abraham’s brother, and his wife sold a piece of land on the south side of the synagogue and a strip on the east to the Jewish community, making it possible to enlarge the synagogue, erect a smaller synagogue for week-day services, and leave room for a court.[1]: 242–243
The fiftieth anniversary of the synagogue was celebrated in 1911. During World War I, the large cupola, as well as the smaller ones, were stripped of their original copper covering. The cupolas had been regarded as among the most beautiful in Cologne because of thepatinated copper. In consequence of the removal, the four towers on the outside pillars were dismantled and only restored in 1925, while the replacement of the copper covering was postponed for financial reasons.[1]: 243
The synagogue was destroyed during theKristallnacht on November 9, 1938 together with the other synagogues in Cologne.[4] The modernistCologne Opera House now occupies the site. A bronze plaque on its façade on Offenbachplatz commemorates the synagogue.
The synagogue has been recreated in virtual form.[5][6]
It was the first example of a central plan over aGreek cross covered by adome.[2]: 284 The four arms of the cross had the same length, as inByzantine architecture buildings. Through the association of a cross form with a square room emerged on the corners. The rooms on the side of thefaçade hold the staircases to the ladies gallery.[2]: 287
The dome was inscribed in the central square, in the middle of which stood thebimah.[2]: 285 The central position of the bimah shows that the Jewish community was attached to the old tradition, while theRoonstrasse Synagogue had a new floor plan, that was developed according to theReform Judaism beliefs.[2]: 287
A low wing of the entrance hall was built with five rooms in front of the square building structure on the street side. The five rooms served as entrance to the staircases to the ladies gallery, as entrance for the men to the main synagogue and a space for the synagogue attendants (Shammes).
A tall, protrudingrisalit was flanked on both sides by wings and was terminated on top by amerlon rim. Zwirner designed four small,minaret-shaped towers with small cupolas on top of thecornices, in contrast to theLeopoldstädter Tempel inVienna, in which the towers were crowned by columns.[2]: 288
Therose window in the facade was aneo-Gothic feature.[2]: 289 Over thecrossing there was adome with windows all around. At the top was a lantern and an onion cupola. The cupola measured 40 metres (130 feet) in height and 10 m (33 ft) in diameter.
The synagogue was, as already mentioned, a central building over a Greek cross, with a dome on top.[2]: 284 The four Byzantine cross arms of the same length of the synagogue were all equipped with a barrel vault,[2]: 290 in which the truss, the columns and the arches were made of cast iron. Except for the Eastern arm the other three arms were equipped with two floors of ladies galleries,[2]: 290 while theTorah ark was placed on the eastern arm, where the wall was decorated withstucco by Josef Hartzheim withrhombus and with a theme of intricate quadrangles and painted by Friedrich Petri ofGießen in blue, red and gold. The stucco work was related to the ones inAlhambra.[2]: 291
The ladies galleries were supported by six columns, that owing to the iron construction had a very fine and graceful form,[2]: 290 while the balustrade was decorated with stucco by Hartzheim and painted in gold by Petri. The four large arches, that supported the dome, were decorated by Hartzheim and painted by Petri in the same way as the eastern wall. The dome and the barrel vaults were the only structures that were not covered by stucco. They were painted by Petri in blue and decorated with golden stars.
"The windows were for the most part round, though some had the shape of a trefoil leaf. Through their colored glass a subdued light fell into the room and upon the richly decorated walls and pillars."[1]: 242
The Aaron haKodesch had been made by the Cologne sculptor Stephan, he usedCarrara white marble and placed in the middle of the shrine a horse shoearch.[2]: 291 Furthermore, Stephan inserted the capitals from Alhambra and the minaret tower composition with onion cupolas from the façade around the Aaron haKodesch. The water basin of themikveh in the basement was also made by Stephan, and the same marble was used as for the Torah Ark.
Thebimah in the middle of the synagogue room was somewhat higher than usual and stood directly under the cupola. It was surrounded by a parapet of rich woodwork.[1]: 242
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Media related toSynagoge Glockengasse (Köln) at Wikimedia Commons
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