It looks as if — at long last — the restoration of the long-ruined Ashkenazic Great Synagogue in the Black Sea port of Constanța, Romania may finally go ahead.
On June 12, Silviu Vexler, an MP and president of the Federation of Jewish Communities, announced on Facebook that he had signed a contract “for the execution of restoration and general rehabilitation works” at the synagogue.
“One of the most beautiful and emblematic Jewish places of worship in Romania, with a fascinating story and a true symbol of the Municipality of Constanța, is saved and will come back to life, to be restored both to the Jews of Romania and to the whole society, ” he wrote.
Local media said the Ministry of Development has allocated €1.5 million for the project.
Vexler said that the agreement came after “nine years of sustained efforts, even when everything seems hopeless.”
(We posted about the first steps back in 2014 — click HERE.)
Local media reported that at the end of 2017, “the Jewish Community had handed over the building to the National Investment Company, after a rehabilitation project of approximately 1 million euros was approved, but the first tender was contested and cancelled.”
Vexler expressed “deep gratitude to all who have been involved and supported this endeavor over the years” including the Minister of Development, Public Works and Administration and the President of the Board of Directors of the National Investment Company.
See drone video of the synagogue (from 8 years ago already):
The synagogue was designed in the Moorish style by Adolf Linz and built between 1910 and 1914. It is the one surviving synagogue in the city.
In a detailed architectural, article, “The Architectural Heritage of the Jews in Constanța,” Nicoleta Doina Teodorescu and Corina Lucescu write that less than 30 years ago, the synagogue was in decent shape and used by the small local Jewish community.
Click to see our photo gallery of the synagogue from 2014, by Dejan Petrovic
1 comment on “Romania: Agreement signed, funds allocated, so the restoration of the long ruined synagogue in Constanța, Romania may finally go ahead”
We were recently in Constanta and viewed the outside of the synagogue and thought what a shame such a beautiful building is in such a state. I’m thrilled to hear it will be restored.