War and destruction
· Kesklinn
Destruction of the Tallinn Synagogue
The destruction of the old synagogue near Maakri Street is part of the interrupted history of Tallinn’s Jewish community.
Completed in 1883, Tallinn’s synagogue was a centre of religious and communal life. The building was destroyed in the aftermath of the March 1944 bombing during the Second World War. By then the Jewish community had already suffered under occupation and the Holocaust; the loss of the building must not stand in for the fate of its people or be told as the only catastrophe. The present streetscape no longer reveals the former sanctuary. Historical photographs, plans and the community’s own memory help make sense of the site.
Practical information
Address: Maakri tänava piirkond
Explore the Maakri Street area from the public pavement. Use historical maps to identify the former site, and approach it with respect.