The Old Synagogue, in Erfurt, Germany, is widely regarded as the oldest intact synagogue building in Europe, with its earliest sections dating to around 1094 and substantial surviving fabric from the 13th century. After the expulsion and massacre of Erfurt’s Jewish community during the Black Death in 1349, the building was repurposed for secular uses over the centuries, including as a storehouse, restaurant, and ballroom, and its original function was eventually forgotten by the Nazi era, which helped preserve its structure.

Rediscovered and studied again in the late 20th century, it is especially significant for its intact roof of 1350/51 and is often described as the oldest surviving synagogue building of its kind in the world.

I would like to thank the esteemed Dr. Maria Stürzebecher for her guidance and support of this article.

History of the Old Synagogue

In the year 800 CE, Erfurt, Germany, was an emerging Carolingian trading settlement, which was a town established during the Early Middle to control tax, and facilitate international and regional trade. In 805, Charlemagne granted Erfurt market rights, establishing it as an important commercial crossroads where merchants exchanged salt, textiles, agricultural products, and other goods. Over the following centuries, the city grew in wealth and influence, benefiting from its strategic position along major trade routes.

By the late 11th century, Erfurt had become a prosperous trading center within the Holy Roman Empire. Situated along the Via Regia trade route, the city was both economically vibrant and religiously diverse.

It was during this period that a Jewish community emerged and flourished alongside the Christian majority, making Erfurt home to one of the oldest documented Jewish communities in central Germany.

And this begins the story of the Old Synagogue. The story of Jewish Erfurt is closely tied to the Old Synagogue. Architectural evidence shows that the oldest surviving portions of the building date to these times, late 11th century, with timber from the original structure scientifically dated to 1094. These remains represent the earliest physical evidence of Jewish life in the city.

As the community grew, the synagogue was expanded and renovated. Around 1270, a larger and more impressive synagogue was built, incorporating the earlier structure. Its western façade featured five tall lancet windows and a large rose window, while around 1300 additional space was added, likely serving as a women’s prayer area, school, or meeting room for the Jewish court.

By the 13th century, Erfurt’s Jewish community was thriving through banking, trade, and scholarship. Supporting this flourishing community were essential Jewish institutions, including the synagogue, a cemetery, and a medieval mikveh, which is a Jewish ritual bath used for religious purification. Dating from the 13th century, the Erfurt mikveh is one of the best-preserved examples of its kind in Europe and today serves as a museum.

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