The long-disused 19th century synagogue in Dornach, a district of Mulhouse in eastern France, will be restored for use as a cultural space, with an emphasis on visual arts.
Work is expected to begin in February 2026 and last eight to 10 months, according to local media reports on the September 12 announcement of the project. It will be financed with €755,000 from the City, which owns the building, with co-financing under consideration by the Grand Est Region.
The synagogue was built in 1851 and designed by the architect Jean-Baptiste Schacre. It has a rather simple exterior, but a spacious sanctuary, with women’s galleries supported by decorative columns and a large ark. The ceiling, though damaged, retains traces of painting. Desecrated during World War II, it was sold to the city of Mulhouse by the Jewish community in 2002.
“Work will be carried out, from floor to ceiling, in order to preserve as much as possible the remarkable architectural elements of the building,” Élisabeth Otter and Sébastien De Paoli, of the City’s Architecture department, who in charge of the program were quoted as saying.
Read an article on the dna.fr web site
Read an article on the mplusinfo web site
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1 comment on “France: Mulhouse Dornach synagogue will be restored as a cultural venue”
I would love to know who is in charge of cultural planning. Can someone please let me know.
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