Join 1000's of paid subscribers who read more than just the headlines. You can search the archives AND read the news too. The VII district, Erz betv ros, is the traditional Jewish quarter of Budapest. Today it looks very much like the neighboring streets of Pest, a residential area, with courtyards and 19th century buildings. By keeping a keen eye open you can catch glimpses of the past.
Hebrew inscriptions adorn some of the buildings.
It is the largest synagogue in Europe with a capacity of 3,000, and is part of a larger complex housing the National Jewish Museum. The facade has been beautifully restored revealing gleaming onion domes, striking geometric patterns and subtle colors which replace the smog-stained black facade I have seen in photographs. Sitting across the busy street, I enjoyed a series of espresso's in the friendly little Kamara Kafe. From my spot by the window I watched the cars whiz by and the strange mix of clientele come and go. Mostly I gazed at the synagogue and mentally prepared myself to go in.