Editing Synagogue (section)

==Architectural design==
[[File:Exterior of kaifeng synagogue.JPG|thumb|upright|Aerial view of the synagogue of the [[Kaifeng Jews|Kaifeng Jewish community]] in China]]
{{Main|Synagogue architecture}}
There is no set [[blueprint]] for synagogues and the architectural shapes and interior designs of synagogues vary greatly. In fact, the influence from other local religious buildings can often be seen in synagogue arches, domes and towers.

Historically, synagogues were built in the prevailing architectural style of their time and place. Thus, the synagogue in [[Kaifeng|Kaifeng, China]], looked very like Chinese temples of that region and era, with its outer wall and open garden in which several buildings were arranged. The styles of the earliest synagogues resembled the temples of other cults of the [[Eastern Roman Empire]]. The surviving synagogues of medieval Spain are embellished with [[mudéjar]] plasterwork. The surviving medieval synagogues in [[Budapest]] and [[Prague]] are typical [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] structures.

With the emancipation of Jews in Western European countries in the 19th century—which not only enabled Jews to enter fields of enterprise from which they were formerly barred, but gave them the right to build synagogues without needing special permissions—synagogue architecture blossomed. Large Jewish communities wished to show not only their wealth but also their newly acquired status as citizens by constructing magnificent synagogues. These were built across Western Europe and in the United States in all of the historicist or revival styles then in fashion. Thus there were [[Neoclassical architecture|Neoclassical]], [[Renaissance Revival architecture]], [[Neo-Byzantine]], [[Romanesque Revival]], [[Moorish Revival]], [[Gothic Revival]], and [[Greek Revival]]. There are [[Egyptian Revival]] synagogues and even one [[Mayan Revival]] synagogue. In the 19th century and early 20th century heyday of historicist architecture, however, most historicist synagogues, even the most magnificent ones, did not attempt a pure style, or even any particular style, and are best described as eclectic.

In the post-war era, synagogue architecture abandoned historicist styles for modernism.<gallery>
File:Synagogue Aleppo.jpg|[[Central Synagogue of Aleppo]], [[Aleppo]], Syria (5th century)
File:Kochi Jewish Synagogue C.jpg|[[Paradesi Synagogue]], [[Kochi]], India (1568)
File:Voormalige synagoge in Deventer.jpg|[[Great Synagogue of Deventer]], [[Deventer]], The Netherlands (1892)
File:Sofia Synagogue 11c.jpg|[[Sofia Synagogue]], [[Sofia]], Bulgaria (1909)
File:Frank Lloyd Wright - Beth Sholom Synagogue - Elkins Park, PA (7175161021).jpg|[[Beth Sholom Congregation (Elkins Park, Pennsylvania)|Beth Sholom Congregation]], [[Elkins Park, Pennsylvania|Elkins Park]], US (1959)
File:Jerusalem Great Synagogue.jpg|[[Great Synagogue (Jerusalem)|Great Synagogue of Jerusalem]] (1982)
File:Synagoge muenchen(softeis) ShiftN cropped.jpg|[[Ohel Jakob synagogue (Munich)|Ohel Jakob synagogue]], Munich, Germany (2006)
</gallery>