Portuguese Synagogue

The Portuguese Synagogue stands in the former Jewish quarter of Amsterdam, near the Waterlooplein and the Amstel river, and it is one of the finest buildings in the city. It was opened in 1675 for the Portuguese Jewish community, known as Sephardic Jews, whose ancestors had been forced to leave Spain and Portugal at the end of the fifteenth century, and who had settled in Amsterdam from the late sixteenth century. The Dutch Republic offered a degree of religious toleration unusual in Europe, and the community prospered in trade, finance and the professions. By the later seventeenth century it was wealthy and confident enough to build a synagogue on a scale to rival the great churches of the city, and for a time it was one of the largest synagogues in Europe.

The building was designed by the city architect Elias Bouwman in a plain, classical style, and its exterior is a large brick block surrounded by a courtyard and by lower buildings that held offices, a school and a library. The interior is a very large hall with a high barrel-vaulted roof of wood, supported by great stone columns, and galleries on three sides for the women. The floor is covered with fine sand, a custom whose origin is explained in different ways, among them that it recalls the desert wanderings of the Israelites and that it muffled the sound of footsteps. The Ark, a huge piece of Brazilian jacaranda wood, stands at one end, facing east, towards Jerusalem.

The most memorable feature of the synagogue is the light. Electric light has never been installed in the main hall, and in services and on special occasions it is lit by hundreds of candles in brass chandeliers and in candlesticks along the benches. The warm, flickering glow on the dark wood gives a very special atmosphere, and the effect is among the best-loved sights of Amsterdam. Heating is also minimal, and the hall can be cold in winter.

The synagogue survived the Second World War, when the Jewish community of Amsterdam was almost destroyed by the deportations, and it has been in use ever since by the Portuguese Jewish congregation. Alongside the synagogue stands a library, Ets Haim, which is one of the oldest Jewish libraries in the world still in use, with manuscripts and early printed books. Visitors can tour the synagogue and some of the associated rooms, which hold silver, textiles and documents.

Opening times are limited. The building is closed on the Sabbath and on Jewish festivals, and entrance requires a ticket, so check the website and book online. The synagogue suits visitors interested in history, architecture and religion. A visit takes about an hour, and it combines well with the Jewish Museum and the Waterlooplein market. Dress respectfully.