Vienna’s stadttempel reopens after restoration
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The Jewish community in Vienna, Austria celebrated the reopening of the Stadttempel, a synagogue in the Seitenstettengasse, after over ten months of renovation.
The temple has stood for 200 years and recently hosted a celebration marking its renewed dedication. Around 450 members of the community carried a new Torah scroll to the synagogue a week before the official reopening.
The Stadttempel holds a unique place in history as the only synagogue in Vienna to survive the November Pogroms of 1938, though its interior was damaged. Nazi authorities spared it from destruction out of concern that fire would spread to neighboring buildings. Leaders view the restoration, which cost 10.5 million euros funded by the Austrian federal government, the city of Vienna, and private donors, as an investment in the future of Jewish life in the country.
Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker emphasized that maintaining a visible Jewish community is the strongest response to antisemitism. Vienna’s mayor, Michael Ludwig, stated that the temple represents the Jewish community’s deep roots in the city and the responsibility to learn from history.
The IKG, Vienna’s Jewish community organization, expressed gratitude to the government, the city, and donors for making the reopening possible, declaring, “We are again at home.” The renovated temple will also welcome visitors through guided tours starting in winter 2026.
