Synagoge, Graz

The New Synagogue stands on David-Herzog-Platz beside the Mur in Graz’s Gries district. It serves Jewish communities across Styria, Carinthia and southern Burgenland. The building replaced an earlier synagogue destroyed in 1938 during Kristallnacht. Designed by architects Jörg and Ingrid Mayr, it echoes the Renaissance Revival style of the original while using salvaged bricks and modern materials. A glass dome supported by twelve metal pillars crowns the sanctuary, its blue glass evoking open sky. The site also holds a black steel obelisk erected in 1988 to remember the old synagogue. The synagogue is worth visiting for its layered history and the care taken in its reconstruction. Around 9,600 bricks from the 1895 building were cleaned by students over 10,000 hours and reused in the new structure. The project followed a unanimous 1998 council vote after lobbying by local Jewish leader Kurt David Brühl. The glass bimah and engraved Hebrew prayers reflect both tradition and renewal. It reopened on 9 November 2000, the anniversary of Kristallnacht, marking a return after decades of absence. Inside, the central sanctuary offers a quiet space for prayer beneath the glass dome. The Torah ark sits behind the bimah, framed by twelve pillars symbolising the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Outside, the plaza bears the name of Rabbi David Herzog, the last pre-war spiritual leader of Styria and Carinthia. The surrounding area along the riverbank provides a peaceful walk, linking the synagogue to Graz’s historic centre.