Editing Erfurt (section)

=====Synagogues=====
{{see also|Jewish Community of Erfurt}}
The oldest parts of Erfurt's ''Alte Synagoge'' ([[Old Synagogue (Erfurt)|Old Synagogue]]) date to the 11th century. It was used until 1349 when the Jewish community was destroyed in a pogrom known as the [[Erfurt massacre (1349)|Erfurt Massacre]]. The building had many other uses since then. It was conserved in the 1990s and in 2009 it became a museum of Jewish history.<ref name="altsyn" /> A rare [[Mikveh]], a ritual bath, dating from c.1250, was discovered by archeologists in 2007.<ref name=mikveh /> It has been accessible to visitors on guided tours since September 2011.<ref>[http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/middle-ages/mikveh/index.html Jewish life in Erfurt. Mikveh.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025182823/http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/middle-ages/mikveh/index.html |date=25 October 2016 }} Retrieved 4 June 2017</ref> The Jewish heritage of Erfurt including the Old Synagogue and Mikveh became a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]] in September 2023 and is the second Jewish heritage in Germany that is listed on UNESCO.<ref>{{cite news |title=Unesco nimmt Erfurter Bauten in Liste des Weltkulturerbes auf |url=https://www.zeit.de/kultur/2023-09/unesco-nimmt-erfurter-bauten-in-liste-des-weltkulturerbes-auf |language=de |newspaper=Die Zeit |date=17 September 2023 |access-date=2023-09-18 |last1=Reddig |first1=Sophia |last2=Fenker |first2=Iven |archive-date=24 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231024014556/https://www.zeit.de/kultur/2023-09/unesco-nimmt-erfurter-bauten-in-liste-des-weltkulturerbes-auf?utm_referrer=https:// |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1656/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230918055534/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1656 |archive-date=2023-09-18 |access-date=2023-09-18 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en}}</ref>

As religious freedom was granted in the 19th century, some Jews returned to Erfurt. They built their synagogue on the banks of the Gera river and used it from 1840 until 1884. The neoclassical building is known as the ''Kleine Synagoge'' (Small Synagogue). Today it is used an events centre. It is also open to visitors.<ref name=kleinsyn>[http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/19-century/small_synagogue/index.html Jewish Life in Erfurt. Small synagogue.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031212354/http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/19-century/small_synagogue/index.html |date=31 October 2016 }} Retrieved 31 October 2016</ref>

A larger synagogue, the ''Große Synagoge'' (Great Synagogue), was opened in 1884 because the community had become larger and wealthier. This moorish style building was destroyed during nationwide Nazi riots, known as {{lang|de|[[Kristallnacht]]}} on 9–10 November 1938.<ref>Available at: [http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/19-century/great_synagogue/index.html Jewish Life in Erfurt. Great synagogue.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031212706/http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/19-century/great_synagogue/index.html |date=31 October 2016 }} Retrieved 31 October 2016</ref>

In 1947 the land which the Great Synagogue had occupied was returned to the Jewish community and they built their current place of worship, the ''Neue Synagoge'' (New Synagogue) which opened in 1952. It was the only synagogue building erected under communist rule in East Germany.<ref>[http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/present/new_synagogue/index.html Jewish Life in Erfurt. New synagogue] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031212356/http://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/present/new_synagogue/index.html |date=31 October 2016 }}. Retrieved 31 October 2016</ref>

<gallery widths="200px" heights="180px">
File:Alte Synagoge Erfurt.JPG|Old Synagogue
File:Kleine Synagoge Erfurt2.JPG|Small Synagogue
File:Synagoge Erfurt.JPG|New Synagogue
</gallery>