Synagogue of Dijon

The Synagogue of Dijon is a 19th-century Jewish house of worship in the Burgundian capital, one of France's few surviving examples of neo-Byzantine architecture purpose-built for a local Jewish community.

How do you get there?

The building stands at 5 Rue de la Synagogue, right in the heart of Dijon, a short walk from the city's main landmarks such as the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy and Notre-Dame church. Dijon's centre is compact, so the synagogue is easiest to reach on foot from the surrounding shopping streets, or by tram to a stop in the city centre followed by a few minutes' walk. Drivers will find public parking within a few hundred metres, since the street itself offers only limited space.

What will you see?

The synagogue was built between 1873 and 1879 to a design by architect Alfred Sidorot, who took inspiration from the Paris synagogue on Rue de la Victoire. The result is a neo-Byzantine building with a central nave, side galleries, and an octagonal dome decorated with stained-glass windows by Eugène Oudinot. The interior is further enriched by sculptures from Jules Schanovski and paintings by Leniept — a mix of geometric forms and orientalising motifs typical of French synagogues from that era.

Jewish presence in Dijon reaches back far earlier than the building itself, to the 12th century, when a dedicated Jewish quarter existed in the city — a history still echoed in street names such as the former Rue de la Petite-Juiverie, today's Rue Buffon. Earlier, temporary places of worship served the community through the 19th century before it commissioned this dedicated, representative synagogue.

During the Second World War, the building became a place of memory for the community's ordeal: 376 Jews were recorded living in Dijon in 1941, and many were deported in the roundups of 1942 and 1944. Under the Occupation, German forces used the synagogue as a warehouse, which inadvertently spared it from destruction, though the original pews were lost for good. In 1989, the synagogue was listed as a French historic monument (Monument Historique) in recognition of its architectural and symbolic value.

Today the synagogue is very much alive: it serves around 240 families with roots in the Maghreb, Alsace, and Eastern Europe, with services held according to Sephardic ritual. An adjoining community centre, opened in 1980, organises the cultural and religious life of Dijon's Jewish residents.

When should you visit?

The façade and surrounding street can be viewed year-round, since the building sits in an open, central part of the city. Entering the interior, however, requires arranging a visit with the community beforehand — this is an active place of worship, not a museum with regular tourist opening hours. It's best to plan a visit outside prayer times and Jewish holidays, requesting access in advance through the local Jewish cultural association.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside the synagogue? Yes, but usually only after contacting the community in advance — it's a working place of worship, not a tourist site with free walk-in access.

What architectural style is the Dijon synagogue built in? Neo-Byzantine, with an octagonal dome and stained-glass windows, modelled on the Paris synagogue on Rue de la Victoire.

Did the building survive the Second World War? Yes — German occupying forces used it as a warehouse, which paradoxically saved it from destruction, though the interior lost some of its original furnishings.

Is the synagogue a protected historic monument? Yes, it has been listed as a French Monument Historique since 1989.