Princes Road Synagogue Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Princes Road Synagogue
The synagogue in February 2010
Religion
Affiliation	Orthodox Judaism
Year consecrated	1874
Location
Location	Liverpool, England
Architecture
Architect(s)	W. & G. Audsley
Architectural type	Synagogue
Architectural style	Moorish Revival Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	1872
Completed	1874; 151 years ago (1874)
Construction cost	£14,975 (1874)
Capacity	824 (original design)

Princes Road Synagogue is a beautiful synagogue (a Jewish house of worship) located on Princes Road in the Toxteth area of Liverpool, England. It is the home of the Liverpool Old Hebrew Congregation. This synagogue was started in the late 1860s and officially opened on September 2, 1874. It was designed by brothers William James Audsley and George Ashdown Audsley. Many people consider it the best example of the Moorish Revival style of synagogue architecture in the UK. You can even find synagogues in places like Sydney that copied its design.

History of Princes Road Synagogue
Architecture and Design
Images for kids
See also

History of Princes Road Synagogue

The Princes Road Synagogue was built because the Jewish community in Liverpool was growing and becoming very successful in the late 1860s. They wanted a new synagogue that showed their importance and wealth. The Toxteth area was developing quickly, with many rich people building grand homes there.

The synagogue stands among other important religious buildings on Princes Road. These buildings were designed to show the wealth of local business leaders. This group was very diverse for Victorian England. Right next to the synagogue are the Greek Orthodox Church of St Nicholas, the Church of England's St Margaret of Antioch, and the Welsh Presbyterian Church.

Construction of the synagogue finished in 1874. The design combined ideas from both Eastern and Western art styles.

The synagogue was designed by William James Audsley and George Ashdown Audsley. These brothers were architects from Edinburgh, Scotland. The building cost about £14,975 to build. It was officially opened on September 2, 1874. People have called the building "eclectic," meaning it mixes different styles. It blends features from various architectural styles in a beautiful way.

In February 1874, the women of the Liverpool Old Hebrew Congregation held a special event. They organized a bazaar and luncheon. Important guests were invited, and the band of the Coldstream Guards played music. This event raised about £3,000, which is like £346,920 today. This money was given to the synagogue to help decorate the inside. The synagogue shows how wealthy and important Liverpool's Jewish leaders were in the 1800s. They even paid for the famous composer Max Bruch to create music for the Kol Nidre prayer.

Today, the synagogue is mainly used for Shabbat (Sabbath) morning services and holidays. However, it is still a very popular place for weddings and b'nai mitzvah (coming-of-age ceremonies).

The synagogue had to close for a while due to money problems. But it reopened in August 2021 after being closed for nine months.

The synagogue was also featured on a special stamp. This stamp was released for the coronation of King Charles III. It was meant to celebrate the many different religions in the country.

Architecture and Design

The synagogue is built from brick. It uses bright terracotta bricks a lot for decoration. The front of the building, called the façade, shows how the inside is laid out. It looks like a basilica, which is a type of building with a main hall (nave) and side sections (aisles).

The central part of the building sticks out from the side sections. It has a large Moorish entrance, which is divided by a central column. Above this entrance is a big wheel window in the Romanesque style. Both the entrance and the window are set back deep inside arches.

Inside, the synagogue has a central nave with aisles on both sides. These sections are separated by an arcade, which is a row of arches supported by slender, eight-sided columns. These columns also hold up galleries (balconies) that run above the aisles. The nave has a barrel vault ceiling, which is shaped like half a cylinder. Light comes in through windows high up in the walls, called clerestory windows.

The inside of the synagogue is famous for its very rich decoration. This includes gold details and the use of the best kinds of wood and marble. H. A. Meek was so impressed with the design that he wrote in his 1995 book The Synagogue: "He who has not seen the interior of Princes Road Synagogue in Liverpool has not beheld the glory of Israel." This means he believed seeing the synagogue's inside was like seeing something truly magnificent and special for the Jewish people.