A new place of worship

The construction of the New Dresden Synagogue was closely interwoven with the chronicles of the historical original:

The first spade was turned on 9th November 1998, exactly 60 years after the destruction of Semper's synagogue. The consecration, too, was arranged for this same fateful date, this time in 2001.

The synagogue in Dresden was the first new synagogue building to be built in Eastern Germany. The building complex was designed by the architects office Wandel, Hoefer and Lorch from Saarbrücken together with Nikolaus Hirsch. It was to stand on the edge of the historical city centre of Dresden, to the east of the Brühl Terrace and alongside the Carolabrücke bridge. It was considered inappropriate to create a faithful reproduction of the historical building, not least because the new synagogue was to reflect the present-day needs of the Jewish community in Dresden.

The modern community centre comprises two buildings, as a place of worship and meeting for around 300 persons. At the same time, space was incorporated for religious teaching for the children, for a library and for the community archives.

A webcam installed by the regional television company MDR provides live views of the completed synagogue:

The construction of the New Dresden Synagogue received support from many quarters. Particular assistance was given to the project by the City of Dresden and the Free State of Saxony. Both financially and morally, this can be seen as a sign of solidarity with the Jewish inhabitants of Dresden.