Geelong Synagogue facts for kids

The Geelong Synagogue is an old building in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. It used to be a synagogue, which is a Jewish place of worship. The building was designed by John Young and finished in 1861. It was built by Jones and Halpin.

Today, the building is no longer used as a synagogue. Instead, it has been updated and is now used as offices. It was added to the Victorian Heritage Register on September 14, 1995. This means it is a special historical building that needs to be protected.

History of the Geelong Synagogue

The Geelong Synagogue is a very special building because of its unique design. It was built in a style called Italianate architecture. The architect, John Young, was known for his creative and varied designs.

Why the Synagogue is Important

This building is important for a few reasons. First, it shows the history of the Jewish community in Geelong. It was their main place of worship for many years. Second, it's one of the older buildings in Geelong. It stands out in the town's landscape.

The synagogue has interesting details that were not common for buildings of its time. These include the way its side sections are decorated. Also, the corners and the special broken pediment above the round window are unique. It has a stucco porch with classic-looking details. The round-shaped side windows and their glass patterns are also unusual.

The inside of the building is thought to be mostly unchanged from when it was built. It shows how smaller religious groups designed their buildings in the 1800s.

Building the Synagogue

The synagogue has four main sections and gables at each end. A stucco porch sticks out from one end, and a rounded section (called an apse) is at the other. The walls are covered in stucco, and the roof is made of slate.

The corners of the front of the building have fancy pillars. These pillars are decorated with carvings and special supports for the broken pediment design above. The porch is also covered in stucco and has strong corner blocks. It features double entrance doors with rounded tops.

Above the porch, there is a large half-circle window. This window has a big keystone and decorative moldings around it. The side walls have recessed panels around each round window. These windows have fancy glass patterns and colored glass.

The inside of the building is simple but elegant. The apse is framed by a round arch supported by pillars. The building was finished in 1861. The foundation stone was laid on July 22, 1861. The synagogue was officially opened on December 1, 1861.

This building replaced an older wooden synagogue. That first wooden building was located at the same corner of Yarra and McKillop Streets. It was opened on June 1, 1854. The current building is still in good shape, both inside and out.

Architectural Details

The Geelong Synagogue is a single-story building with a pointed roof (gable) at each end. It has a rounded extension at the eastern end. The roof is made of slate, and the brick walls are covered with cement. A flat-roofed porch extends from the main gable end.

The roof's edge forms an overhang. A broken horizontal cornice (a decorative molding) is supported by pillars on each side. This gives the impression of a pediment, which is a triangular shape often seen on classical buildings.

Inside the triangular space (tympanum) of the gable, there is a large window with three parts. This type of window was common in a style called Palladian architecture. The pillars on the building are simple but noticeable. They have a rectangular design with a circle in the middle. This kind of decoration was used in early Italian Renaissance architecture.

The porch has strong corner blocks and a special frame around the round-arched entrance. Above the double wooden doors, there is a plain fanlight window. This window has a Hebrew inscription.

The side walls of the building are divided into four sections by flat, column-like structures called pilasters. Each section has a round-arched window with a sill below and a keystone above. A decorative band (string course) runs along the full length of the side walls. This band has small block-like decorations called dentils.

The inside of the synagogue has a curved wooden ceiling. There is a semi-circular opening that lets light in from the large window above the balcony. Below the balcony, there is an entrance area, a small room, and a staircase.

The building is now used as offices. This change happened because the Jewish community in Geelong became very small. It was hard for them to keep up with the costs of maintaining the building. So, it was decided to use the building for a new purpose.

The synagogue's design is mostly credited to John Young alone. This is because he built the first synagogue, and this building shares many similarities with his other works.

See also

• List of synagogues in Australia and New Zealand
• History of the Jews in Australia