Central Synagogue

Infobox religious building
building_name =Central Synagogue
infobox_width =


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location =646-652 Lexington Avenue,
Manhattan, New York City,
flag|United StatesDolkart, Andrew S. & Postal, Matthew A.; "Guide to New York City Landmarks", 3rd Edition; New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission; John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2004. ISBN 0-471-36900-4; p.122.]
geo =
latitude =40.759592
longitude =-73.970473
religious_affiliation =Reform Judaism
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status =Active
leadership =
website = [http://www.centralsynagogue.org www.centralsynagogue.org]
architecture =yes
architect =Henry FernbachWhite, Norval & Willensky, Elliot; "AIA Guide to New York City", 4th Edition; New York Chapter, American Institute of Architects; Crown Publishers/Random House. 2000. ISBN 0-8129-31069-8; ISBN 0-8129-3107-6. p.282.]
architecture_type =Neo Gothic
architecture_style =Moorish Revival
facade_direction = ESE
groundbreaking = 1872
year_completed = 1873
specifications = yes
construction_cost =
capacity =
length = m to ft|40
width = m to ft|25
width_nave = m to ft|14
height_max =
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nrhp =yes
added =October 9, 1970cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]
refnum =70000423
designated =May 15, 1975

The Central Synagogue (Congregation Ahavath Chesed) is located at 652 Lexington Avenue on the corner of 55th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York. Built in 1872 in the Moorish Revival style as a copy of Budapest's Dohány Street Synagogue [cite book | last = Krinsky | first = Carol | title = Synagogues of Europe | publisher = Dover Publications | location = New York | year = 1996 | isbn = 0486290786 |pages=108|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=-wUg6rlWS2kC&pg=PA108&sig=sCZWL-siV805k5bNA4VApTbogRE] [ Moorish Influence At Home in the City, by FRANCIS MORRONE, New York Sun, December 15, 2006, [http://www2.nysun.com/arts/moorish-influence-at-home-in-the-city/] ] , it pays homage to the Jewish existence in Moorish Spain . It has been in continuous use by a congregation longer than any other in the city. [ [http://www.nr.nps.gov/writeups/70000423.nl.pdf NHL Writeup] ]

The dramatic style of the building was the subject of much debate during the construction. Some felt its excess would inspire envy and stand in the way of assimilation."Gray, Christopher; "New York Streetscapes""', 1st Edition; Harry N. Abrahams, Inc. 2003. ISBN 0-8109-4441-3; p.188.]

It was designated a National Historic Landmark on May 15, 1975.cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=951&ResourceType=Building
title=Central Synagogue|date=2007-09-10|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service] citation|title=PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/70000423.pdf National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Central Synagogue] |220 KB|author=Carolyn Pitts|date=February 2, 1975|publisher=National Park Service and PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Photos/70000423.pdf "Accompanying 5 photos, exterior and interior, from 1973 and undated"] |1.53 MB] It has been restored recently in the original style after a fire in August 1998.Harris, Bill; "One Thousand New York Buildings", 1st Edition; Black Dog and Leventhal. 2002. ISBN 1-57912-443-7; p.272.] It is open to the public for tours on a weekly schedule.

Cemetery

The synagogue owns the notable Salem Fields Cemetery, Brooklyn. ‎

Notes

References

*

See also

* Synagogues built in the Moorish Revival style:
**Dohány Street Synagogue, Budapest, Hungary
**Leopoldstädter Tempel, Vienna, Austria

External links

* [http://www.centralsynagogue.org/downloads/cs_restoration.pdf Central Synagogue Restoration Booklet]
*Official|http://www.centralsynagogue.org
* [http://www.centralsynagogue.org/about/ History of the Congregation and Building]