Aşkenazi Synagogue

The Ashkenazi Synagogue, located close to Galata Tower in Beyoğlu, one of Istanbul's most central districts, is the only active Ashkenazi synagogue in the city. The Austrian origin Ashkenazi Jewish Synagogue was established in the year 1900, and it is the only synagogue that survived from the three Ashkenazi synagogues built in Turkey.

The Ashkenazi Synagogue, located on Beyoğlu Banker Street, is a unique building with its brightly colored and wide dome decorated with stars. The synagogue, which attracts great attention with its eye-catching chandeliers brought from Vienna, bears the traces of typical Ottoman architecture in general terms. Besides, the Ashkenazi Synagogue, where the motifs of Islamic architecture can be seen, is still a place where Ashkenazi traditions are still maintained. But, it is possible to say that worship and religious ceremonies continue.

In the Ashkenazi Synagogue, where Sabbath prayers are performed every Saturday morning, weekday prayers also take place following the Ashkenazi tradition. The migration of Ashkenazi from Germany to Turkey is realized in the 14th century at first. The Ashkenazi Synagogue, where the double plates with precisely the Ten Commandments are also worth seeing, and it is one of the rare synagogues with two women's balconies (Azara).

The Ashkenazi Synagogue, where ceremonies such as Bar Mitzvah and weddings are held under the Ashkenazi traditions, attracts many local and foreign tourists, regardless of which religion they belong to, with its proximity to Istiklal Avenue. Aside from Vienna's chandeliers, numerous plates in the synagogue are also in the German language. Since 2003, Mendy Chitrik has been the rabbi of the Ashkenazi Synagogue.