Rumbach Street Synagogue – The Beautiful Spot of the City

Take a walk along the Jewish Quarter of Pest and explore its values. You have to visit the unique Rumbach Street Synagogue. It is worth it, believe us!

If you walk along the “Jewish Quarter” – which was the main middle point of the religious life of Orthodox Jewry in Budapest in the 19th century – you can discover the world-famous Dohány Street Synagogue. And you have to also explore the impressive Rumbach Street Synagogue. The building, which is under renovation, will be both a sacred and cultural space of events.

Identify The Famous Name Of The Street! Rombach (Rumbach) Sebestyén 

The Rombach family came from Germany. Mátyás Rombach moved to Hungary in the mid-1700s. He established in Baia Mare, where he was a doctor: first a military surgeon and then a mining surgeon. His son, Sebestyén, also chose the medical profession. He was inaugurated as a doctor in Vienna in 1788. He started his medical work in Terézváros. He created the first Spa in Pest at the junction of Podmaniczky and Munkácsy streets. Furthermore, he soon gained a reputation for himself. Not only did he treat poor patients for free, but he also did not accept money for his service in military hospitals in Buda and Pest. In addition to patients in need, his selflessness also earned the recognition of the emperor, as a result of which he was awarded the title of the noble physician.

From 1806 to 1833, he owned the gateway house at number 9 of the then Országút (today Károly krt.). This house was called the Pauer House from its builder before Rumbach bought it. The other exit of the passageway opened onto a previously unknown street; since Rumbach was a well-known and highly respected physician, the street was named after him in 1874.

The Unique Synagogue 

If someone walks on the Rumbach Sebestyén Street today will surely raise his head when he comes to synagogue standing there: the renovated Jewish building almost interests the eyes of those who pass by. You can almost shock when entering the synagogue, the sight is so captivating. We are greeted by a cavalcade of colors, yet, the overall picture reflects incredible sophistication, a special beauty, and perfect harmony.

Church in The Spirit of The Status Quo!

The Rumbach Sebestyén Street Synagogue was built in the 1870s in the essence of the status quo ante („stay as before”), based on the methods of the Austrian architect Otto Wagner (1841-1918), designed by the German architect Ludwig Förster (1797-1863), 1859 near the opened Dohány Street Great Synagogue Budapest. The interior of the Rumbach Sebestyén Street Synagogue received central training due to different liturgical needs. The square has a broadness of 24.8 meters and a height of 28.15 meters. As a matter of course, the lake reading stand, the bima, was placed in the center of the area surrounded by the arcade. It is a belief to place women in a separate gallery.

Best Way To The Rebirth

Unfortunately, the beautiful building has been destroyed since World War II, and from 1959 it was formerly used for religious purposes. Recently, it sounds strange that in the 1980s it became the property of the construction company Alba Regia, which wanted to build a conference center here.  After the change of regime, the company went bankrupt in 1992, so the synagogue could be returned to the Hungarian Government, and from there to the Jewish Community of Budapest in 2006. In the last few years the building has gone through complete reconstruction. 

The original color scheme of the Rumbach Sebestyén Street Synagogue was modernized by painter László Haraszti, who preserved the previously restored mosaics, thus preserving motifs that were not otherwise documented. Spaces that did not exist before were also created in the synagogue. One such new architectural element is the bridge over the entrance, lined with a glass railing. There will be a café with a beautiful view of the church square. Behind it, you can see the three new windows which open to the Rumbach Sebestyén Street.

What will happen in the future?

According to the designers, the beautiful building could be reopened in a very short time – renovated like the House of Coexistence (Együttélés Háza). Which will be not only special in the district but can also be a unique cultural and religious place in the whole city.  

Gozsdu Courtyard – Enjoy the Entertaining Events of The Jewish Quarter!

If you want to discover something extra in Budapest, you don’t have to miss the seven-building Gozsdu which will consist of six courtyards, connecting King and Dob Streets with a two-hundred-meter walk. Its history dates back to 1900, when the Gozsdu Foundation, established from the estate of Gozsdu Manó, a lawyer of Romanian origin, commissioned Győző Czigler, a renowned architect of his time, to draw up the plans. The Gozsdu Court was famous for its bustling life until World War II, but in contrast to its current role, it functioned as a commercial center. During World War II the Gozsdu Courtyard was a part of the Budapest ghetto; UNESCO has declared it to be the part of world heritage.

Over the years, the position of Gozsdu only run-down, and in 2009 it was made up and renewed as a result of a complete upgrade. In addition to plenty of new catering facilities, essentially restaurants and bars, opened in it, and travelers were also slowly dominating the area. By reason of a large number of tourists, some may have avoided this part of the city so far, even if it is really worth visiting here.