Choral Synagogue - Vilnius, Lithuania
Posted by: 
Torgut
N 54° 40.573 E 025° 16.992
35U E 389301 N 6060115
This synagogue was built in 1903 in the center of Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania, and it is still in use.
Waymark Code: WMMJKW
Location: Lithuania
Date Posted: 09/29/2014
Views: 11
This synagogue, built in the early 20th Century, is located in the center of Vilnius and it's currently the only one active in the city.
It was designed by the architect Dovydas Rosenhauzas and completed in 1903. Somehow it survived the Second World War and the ferocious anti-religious Soviet regime.
From Wikipedia:
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visit link)
"The Choral Synagogue of Vilnius (Lithuanian: Vilniaus choraline sinagoga) is the only synagogue in Vilnius that is still in use. The other synagogues were destroyed during World War II, when Lithuania was occupied by Nazi Germany.
The Choral Synagogue of Vilnius was built in 1903.
The synagogue is built in a Romanesque-Moorish style.
It is the only active synagogue that survived both the Holocaust and Soviet rule in this city that once had over 100 synagogues. International donations and a small community of Jews in Vilnius support the synagogue. The synagogue holds services and is open to visitors."
From the World Monuments Fund:
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visit link)
"The Choral Synagogue of Vilnius , built in 1903, is the only active synagogue remaining in this city that once boasted over 100. Few Jewish houses of worship survived World War II and its aftermath. After the war, the Choral Synagogue was converted into a metal-workers shop and the vibrations from the machines have caused structural damage. While the front façade and the interior have suffered relatively little damage, the east and west walls are exposed brick masonry and are in poor condition, as several bricks have become loose and fallen out of the walls, leaving holes in their place. Leaks in the roof have been detected, which are causing the paint to peel and many of the benches are in need of refurbishment."