A restoration project at the 17th Century Portuguese Synagogue Complex in Amsterdam has been awarded the European Union’s Europa Nostra prize for conservation.
From the Europa Nostra web site:
“Thanks to the restoration work, the Portuguese Synagogue is now much better suited to public viewing, while maintaining its original character. Its big treasure, the library, is now accessible to the public for the first time, allowing visitors to understand and experience this enormous cultural heritage. The Synagogue is still used as a place of worship, retaining the spirit of the building and respecting the needs of the congregants. The jury is very much impressed by the modest restoration of the large hall, avoiding adapting it to the twentieth century amenities but rather keeping it as it has been throughout the centuries: candle lit and without heating.”
The Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam is a building complex consisting of a massive main synagogue that is surrounded by low buildings. It has been in use since its inauguration in 1675. The history of the complex and its occupants is a testament to its European significance. The main synagogue is internationally known for its rare and thoroughly authentic interior. The surrounding buildings house various functions for the Portuguese Jewish community: a winter synagogue, library Ets Haim-Livraria Montezinos (on UNESCO Memory of the World Register), offices, boardroom, rabbinate, mikvah, kitchens and a shop. Parts of the surrounding buildings were noticeably sinking and tilting. The restoration aimed to preserve the monumental complex for future generations and to make all the buildings, including the world-renowned library and collections of ritual objects, more accessible to the traditional religious Jewish community and to the general public.