Constantza

A Sephardic synagogue was built in 1866 on an estate in central Constanţa, a donation from Ismail Kemal Bey. Later, when the number of Sephardic Jews increased, a new, larger temple became necessary. The municipality approved such a request in May 1903, and the new Israelite Temple of Spanish Rite was completed two years later [1]. The plans were designed by architect Adolf Linz, and the funding came from local and international donations, but also by organising charitable shows at Constanța [2].

The Ashkenazi temple was situated in the historical part of Constanța, and its initial construction dates since 1867. In 1907 the president of the community, M. Bujes requested the permission to erect a new synagogue, but the municipality rejected the first technical solutions. However, the new president, Pincus Şapira, received the authorisation to build it in 1910, and the project was drafted by architect Anghel Păunescu, who replaced the dome initially proposed with a semi–cylindrical bolt. The construction was completed in 1914, with the temple built in Chaldean style, structured in three horizontal registers. The ornamental windows and doors built in stone have Moorish influences [3].

In Constanţa there also existed a Jewish cemetery, organised in the second half of the 19^th century.

Picture 3.3.2.1_1

The Sephardic Synagogue

Source: http://constanta-imagini-vechi.blogspot.ro/

Picture 3.3.2.1_2 The Sephardic Synagogue

Source: http://constanta-imagini-vechi.blogspot.ro/

[1] Adrian Rădulescu, Stoica Lascu, Puiu Haşotti, Ghid de oraş. Constanţa (Bucharest: Sport Turism, 1985), 71–72; Florin Stan, “Ethnic Communities from the Pontic Space. Jews from Constanta (I)”, Anuarul Muzeului Marinei Române, 8 (2005), 227–238; also in Idem, “Evreii din Constanta”, Cumidava, 29 (2007), 229–241; the foundation act of the synagogue in Dobrogea între medieval și modern, 1406–1918, edited by Virgil Coman, Carmen Dobrotă, Claudia Turcitu (Constanța: Ex Ponto, 2008), 176–177.

[2] Idem, “Ethnic Communities”, 227–238.

[3] Th. Ionescu, I. N. Duployen, Constanţa şi Techirghiol. Ghid ilustrat (Constanţa: Institutul Grafic Albania, 1924), 48.

References

Archival sources:

Serviciul Judeţean Constanţa al Arhivelor Naţionale [The National Archives, Constanţa Branch], Fond Comunitatea Evreilor din Constanţa [The Jewish Community of Constanţa], files starting with 1868.

Serviciul Judeţean Constanţa al Arhivelor Naţionale (The National Archives, Constanţa Branch), Primăria municipiului Constanţa (The Municipality of Constanţa), files starting with 1878.

Bibliography:

Dobrogea între medieval și modern, 1406–1918 [Dobrudja between Medieval and Modern, 1406–1918], edited by Virgil Coman, Carmen Dobrotă, Claudia Turcitu (Constanța: Ex Ponto, 2008).

Ionescu, Th., Duployen, I. N., Constanţa şi Techirghiol. Ghid ilustrat [Constanţa and Techirghiol. Illustrated Guidebook] (Constanţa: Institutul Grafic Albania, 1924).

Rădulescu, Adrian, Lascu, Stoica, Haşotti, Puiu, Ghid de oraş. Constanţa [City Guidebook. Constanţa] (Bucharest: Sport Turism, 1985).

Stan, Florin, “Ethnic Communities from the Pontic Space. Jews from Constanta (I)”, Anuarul Muzeului Marinei Române, 8 (2005), 223–235.

Stan, Florin, “Evreii din Constanta” [The Jews from Constanţa], Cumidava, 29 (2007), 229–241.

Stan, Florin, “Sinopticum. Din trecutul celor de lângă noi. Incursiuni în istoria comunităţilor etnice dobrogene” [Sinopticum. From the Past of Those Next to Us. Incurssions in the History of the Ethnic Communities from Dobrudja]”, in Tomis , 1–5 (2008), 71–74, 68–70, 71–74, 83–85, 84–86.