Templul "Coral"

The Choral Temple is the main synagogue of Bucharest and one of the most beautiful religious buildings in the city. Built in the second half of the 19th century, between 1864 and 1866, modelled on Vienna's Great Synagogue and in the Moorish-revival style, with a striped façade, arches and geometric ornament, it echoes the great synagogues of Central Europe from the same era. The interior, with its high vault, women's galleries and rich gilded decoration, surprises many visitors who do not expect such splendour behind a relatively discreet front tucked away on a side street.

The temple was devastated during the Legionnaire pogrom of January 1941, then restored, and it survived the decades of communist rule, remaining an active place of worship as well as a memorial to Romania's Jewish community, once one of the largest in Europe, with hundreds of thousands of members. In front of it stands a Holocaust monument bearing the names of victims. A visit here is an act of remembrance as much as an architectural stop.

Good to know

• As an active place of worship, modest dress is expected and men should cover their heads; security checks may apply.
• Check visiting hours, which can be limited around holidays and services.
• Nearby you will find other attractions linked to the city's Jewish history, within the older central districts.

For travellers who want a less obvious Bucharest, beyond the tourist clichés, the Choral Temple is a memorable stop rich in history.