Istanbul  ·  26 Active Synagogues

Synagogues in Türkiye

From a 15th-century Balat sanctuary to a 21st-century museum — the living architecture of a living community.

Synagogues in Türkiye

There are currently 26 active synagogues in Istanbul, with communities also in Ïzmir and other cities.

Balat, Istanbul  ·  Since the 15th century
The Ahrida Synagogue
The oldest synagogue in Istanbul, predating the Ottoman conquest. Its distinctive bimah is shaped like the prow of a ship — symbolising Noah’s Ark or the Ottoman vessels that carried the Sephardim from Spain.
Learn more → Karaköy, Istanbul  ·  Museum since 2001
Zulfaris Synagogue & Museum of Turkish Jews
Restored by the Quincentennial Foundation and reopened in 2001 as the Museum of Turkish Jews — a monument to five centuries of coexistence and a symbol of Turkish-Jewish amity.
Learn more →