Synagogue in Lausanne, Switzerland
The synagogue of Lausanne (French: synagogue de Lausanne) is a synagogue located on Avenue de Florimont in Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland.
History
In the early 20th century, the Jewish community gathered in the Jean-Jacques Mercier [fr] building on Rue du Grand-Chêne in Lausanne. The community grew rapidly and wanted to have a larger place of worship.[1]
Upon the death of French merchant Daniel Iffla ("Osiris"), the City Council of Lausanne received a bequest of 50,000 francs. This donation aimed at building a new synagogue which had to be inspired from the Buffault Synagogue in Paris.
The synagogue was built in 1909–1910[1] thanks to the financial support of the local Ashkenazi community.[3] The City of Lausanne also allocated 300,000 francs for the construction.[4] The building was designed by Vaudois architects Charles Bonjour, Adrien van Dorsser and Oscar Oulevey and inaugurated on November 7, 1910.[5]
The cost of land acquisition and construction totalled 280,000 francs, including 48,000 francs for the structural system and 28,000 francs for the decoration and the furniture.[1]
After WWII, the community grew and integrated Sepharadi Jews, which requested unity in the rites and the use of the synagogue.[6]
In 2010, Israelite Community of Lausanne and the Canton of Vaud (CILV) celebrated the centenary of the synagogue and organised events aimed at "forging bonds with Lausanne and Vaud people",[7] including an exhibition about the history of the synagogue.[8]
The synagogue is now listed among the Cultural Property of National Significance.[9] It is used for Shabbat celebrations, but usually the daily service takes place in a smaller underground room.[5] In 1995, a liturgical music concert took place at the synagogue.[10]
Architecture
The Romanesque-Byzantine[1] synagogue has a long nave that can be reached from the vestibule. Three sides of the nave are bordered by galleries with 160 seats for women. The stalls are dedicated to men only.[1] The Almemohr has a tabernacle with the Torah scrolls, as well as the seat used by the rabbi. The paintings were made by Otto Alfred Briffod and the stained-glass windows were manufactured by the workshop Guignard & Schmid.[1] There is an adjacent sacristy. The underground floor has several locales.
