"The temple was built by the Reform Jews of Oradea in 1878, as a result of
their separation from the Orthodox Jewish community in 1870. The project was
handled by Busch Dávid, the chief architect of Oradea and a member of the Jewish
community.
The construction of the imposing 1000-seat building was entrusted to
Rimanóczy Kálmán, Sr., a resounding name in Oradea architecture and a master
of the eclectic style.
The synagogue is a simplified modern replica of the Synagogue in
Nuremberg.
The architecture
Within the rigorous limits of a square parcel of land, the synagogue has
a basilica-like spatial arrangement with three naves. It is oriented towards
Jerusalem, on the east-west axis. The cubic volume is surmounted by an ample
Easternized profile, featuring a discretely bulbous line that seems to float
above the roof. The floating effect is due to the tambour that is
rhythmically punctuated by sixteen ample windows which resemble arcades that
close off with semicircular arches (Roman arch). This type of window, which
is similar to an elongated ample arcade closing off with a semicircular
arch, constitutes the leitmotif of the façades. The intention was to create
the effect of a triumphal arch on them, which was inspired by Renaissance
architecture, itself inspired by Roman architecture. The most spectacular
effect occurs on the southern façade, which is representative due to its
visibility from down on the street, as a central jutty rhythmically
punctuated by four pilasters imbues the façade with a monumental visual
effect. It is decorated with five very ample windows, all of them topped by
a lacework of decorative wooden rosettes with Eastern motifs and an
octagonal trajectory. These Eastern motifs are abundant both on the exterior
and the interior of the building.
On the exterior, the compact volume of the central section evokes the
architecture of the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount, which shelters,
according to the Jewish faith, the Foundation Stone that the world was
created from. The sacred stone marks the place where, through Abraham’s act
of faith, God’s covenant with Abraham was made, and the Ark of the Covenant
was placed in the Temple of Jerusalem.
The Neolog Synagogue of Oradea can be connected to the Synagogue of
Nuremberg, which was erected in 1874 by the river Pegnitz and demolished in
1938, but the concept of the former is far more modern due to its
essentialized design. In the interior, the painted decoration is entirely
inspired by the Moorish style. Its author is the painter Horovitz Mor of
Košice. The ornaments are strictly geometrical, with central motifs like the
Star of David or the eight-petal rosette, as well as seemingly infinite
repetitive modular motifs. These are painted in chromatic harmony, creating
refined visual rhythms. The decorative embroidery diminishes the massiveness
of the load-bearing walls. The cast iron poles that separate the naves also
rhythmically punctuate the area, leading one to look towards the niche with
the ark meant to keep the Torah’s scrolls. An iron grate marks the sacred
area. It is decorated with floral motifs whose supple design foreshadowed
the new artistic movement that was about to make its presence felt in Oradea
as well, namely Art Nouveau.
There is an organ above the niche of the Torah ark. During the
restoration of the synagogue, a hermetically sealed bottle was found
containing a message written in 1878, from which we will glean the
following: ”…între aceste ziduri sa se tina slujbe demne de religiozitatea
pura si de progres, din amvon sa se tina predici despre religia si morala
purificata de zgura sofismelor…” (”between these walls, let there be service
worthy of religiosity that is pure and informed by progress, may the pulpit
let ring sermons about religion and morals purified of the soot of
sophistry…”).
The present-day Sion Synagogue
The rehabilitation of the synagogue was carried out based on the
trans-border project coordinated by the municipality of Oradea in
association with the Jewish Community of Debrecen. The specific objectives
were the functional rehabilitation and reconversion of the Neolog Synagogue,
and its introduction into the national and international circuit of tourism.
Now that it is completely restored, the synagogue has become a space
destined for contemporary arts. Events meant for the general public are
organized here: concerts, exhibitions, book launches, and various other
cultural or religious events."
Source: www.oradeaheritage.ro/the-sion-neolog-synagogue/?lang=en