Szegő Dóra - Szegő György: Synagogues - Our Budapest (Budapest, 2004)

The Kazinczy utca Synagogue

The decoration of the frieze, which mixes letter-shapes with other motifs, closely resembles the street-side portal of the Vécsey utca Budapest Workshop established, after the pattern of the Wiener Werkstätte, by Lajos Kozma in 1913. In the lower strip of the frieze, with architectonic lettering, is the bas-relief inscription reading, in Hebrew, "How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." Above the forceful, distinctive letters is a floral decoration and a string of shells with stars of David in place of the pearls.

The bulk of the side-walls of the temple body are only loosened up slightly by circular and semi-circular pieces of glass set in the wall and narrow rows of round-topped windows echoing the arched windows and the frieze of the street- front. On two sides of the main fronts are driveways leading into the interior courtyard. Above the courtyard-front of the Eastern wall articulated by four pilaster strips is an unadorned tympanum. Standing in the courtyard is the wrought-iron huppah, the canopy used with wedding ceremonies traditionally held in the open.

With a ground-plan of 22 metres by 31.5 and a height of 13.30 metres, the three- nave temple hall is of impressive proportions. It is covered by a barrel vault hid■ Kazinczy utca. the iynagosue interior

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