Old Synagogue (Essen)

The Old Synagogue (German: Alte Synagoge) is a former Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at Steeler Straße 29, in Essen, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The former synagogue was repurposed in 1960 as a Jewish museum. The building is one of the largest, best preserved and architecturally most impressive testimonies to Jewish culture in pre-war Germany.[citation needed] Built in the centre of the city, the Byzantine Revival and Art Nouveau style former synagogue was originally consecrated as the Neue Synagoge in 1913 and operated as a synagogue until Kristallnacht in 1938. The building houses an institution dedicated to documenting and promoting the history of the city's former Jewish community. After being severely damaged during Kristallnacht, but avoiding further damage from bombing during WWII, the burnt out interior was first completely redesigned to become a Museum of Industrial design in 1960. With greater interest in historic preservation, it underwent a second restoration in the 1980s to its original design; in preparation for its new use as a memorial centre and museum. The attached Rabbinerhaus (House of the Rabbi) has housed the Salomon Ludwig Steinheim Institute since 2011.A former synagogue now serving as a Jewish museum, showcasing the history of the Jewish community in Essen.