Three thousand seats, twin onion domes, and a 5,000-pipe organ Liszt once played: the Dohány Street Synagogue is the largest synagogue in Europe and the working religious centre of Budapest’s Neolog Jewish community.
Built 1854 to 1859 to a Moorish Revival design by Vienna’s Ludwig Förster, it sits on the western edge of the Jewish Quarter. The compound covers more than the synagogue: the Hungarian Jewish Museum next door (on Theodor Herzl’s birthplace), the 1931 Heroes’ Temple, the Memorial Park behind with Imre Varga’s silver Tree of Life, and the only Jewish cemetery on synagogue grounds in Europe. One ticket covers it all. Book online before you arrive: the on-site queue regularly runs an hour in summer.
Budapest Card
Save time and money
Dohány Street Synagogue Fast Track Ticket
Skip-the-line entry with the in-house guided tour included. Covers the synagogue, Hungarian Jewish Museum, Heroes’ Temple, Memorial Park, and cemetery. The simplest way to avoid the on-site queue.
Synagogue + Jewish Quarter Walking Tour
Fast-track synagogue entry plus a 2-hour walking tour of the surrounding Jewish Quarter (former ghetto, ruin bars, Kazinczy Street Synagogue exterior). Adds context the synagogue alone can’t provide.
Grand Tour: Kazinczy + Dohány + Jewish Quarter
The deepest single-tour visit, covering both major synagogues (Neolog Dohány and Orthodox Kazinczy) plus the Jewish Quarter walking tour. Best for half-day deep-dives on Jewish Budapest.
Dohány is included on the Budapest Card. The most efficient way to combine the synagogue with a stack of other Budapest attractions and free public transport.
It includes access to:
- Discounted entry to the Hungarian Jewish Museum and Dohány Street Synagogue
- 30+ attractions including the Hungarian Parliament tour and Lukács Bath
- Audio walking tours of the Jewish Quarter and Castle District
Plus, you also get:
- Unlimited free public transport (metro, tram, bus, trolley)
- Walking tour and bath discounts across the city
- Mobile-only ticket; no print needed
Dohány Street Synagogue Tickets
A single combined ticket covers the synagogue, Hungarian Jewish Museum, Heroes’ Temple, Memorial Park, and cemetery. There is no “synagogue only” cheaper option. Skip-the-line tickets booked online save you the on-site queue, which can run 30 to 60 minutes in summer.
Why book in advance
- The synagogue is closed Saturdays, so visitor traffic concentrates into a 6-day week and the on-site queue regularly runs 30 to 60 minutes in summer
- Pre-booking online skips the queue entirely; you walk past the on-site line straight to the fast-track lane
- Walking tour combos run on fixed schedules and routinely sell out for popular days
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead on most online bookings; on-site purchases are non-refundable
Good to know
- Closed Saturdays (Shabbat) and on major Jewish holidays (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Pesach, Shavuot); dates change each year because they follow the lunar calendar
- Dress code enforced: shoulders and knees covered. Men wear a head covering; a paper kippah is provided free at the entrance
- Guided tour included with every ticket; departures every 30 minutes in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Hebrew
- Children under 6 enter free; reduced student (6 to 24) and senior (65+) rates apply with valid ID
- Photography permitted with no flash; respect quieter spaces and prayer areas
For a full breakdown of every ticket type, see our Dohány Street Synagogue tickets guide.
Highlights
Europe’s largest synagogue
Step into the 75-metre Moorish Revival hall with twin onion domes, a 5,000-pipe organ legacy played by Liszt and Saint-Saëns, and seating for nearly 3,000 worshippers.
The Tree of Life memorial
Stand under Imre Varga’s silver weeping willow in the Memorial Park, where each leaf is engraved with the name of a Hungarian Jewish Holocaust victim.
Theodor Herzl’s birthplace
Visit the Hungarian Jewish Museum on the exact site where the founder of modern political Zionism was born in 1860, with Torah scrolls, ritual silver, and a Holocaust gallery.
Plan Your Visit
Tickets
A single combined ticket covers the synagogue, Hungarian Jewish Museum, Heroes’ Temple, Memorial Park, and cemetery. There is no “synagogue only” cheaper option.
A few things worth knowing before you book:
- Children under 6 enter free; logged ticket required on combo bookings
- Reduced rates apply for students (6 to 24) and seniors (65+) with valid ID
- Guided tour included with every ticket; mobile-only voucher for online bookings
For complete details on ticket types, prices, and how to choose: Complete Dohány Street Synagogue Tickets Guide →
Opening Hours
Open Sunday to Friday year-round, closed Saturdays for Shabbat. Sun-Thu 10:00 to 18:00, Fri 10:00 to 16:00. Last entry one hour before closing. Closed on major Jewish holidays (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Pesach, Shavuot).
Dohány Street Synagogue Compound
| Monday | 10:00-18:00 |
| Tuesday | 10:00-18:00 |
| Wednesday | 10:00-18:00 |
| Thursday | 10:00-18:00 |
| Friday | 10:00-16:00 |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | 10:00-18:00 |
Closed Saturdays (Shabbat) and on major Jewish holidays. Last entry 1 hour before closing.
Mondays and Tuesdays are the calmest. Sundays are the busiest single day, especially in summer.
Check our detailed opening hours guide for Jewish holiday closures and the best slots to skip the queue.
Getting There
The synagogue sits on the corner of Dohány utca and Károly körút, two minutes from Astoria metro on M2. Trams 47 and 49 stop on Károly körút. Hover a stop to find it on the map.
Nearest stops
By car: not recommended. The Jewish Quarter has narrow one-way streets and very limited parking.
See our complete guide on how to get there for detailed walking routes, bus numbers, and accessibility info.
Entrance
Knowing which lane to use before you arrive will save you time. The main entrance is on Dohány utca opposite the small park.
📍 Main Entrance (On-site Ticket Office)
- Who uses this: standard adult tickets bought on the day
- Queue at the ticket office on Dohány utca; bring exact card or cash
- Queues run longest 11:00 to 14:00 in summer; wait time can be 30 to 60 minutes during peak weeks
📍 Fast Track Lane
- Who uses this: fast-track ticket holders
- Walk past the ticket office queue to the dedicated fast-track lane (signed)
- Show your mobile QR voucher at the gate; security is a quick bag check
📍 Walking Tour Meeting Point
- Who uses this: combo walking tour holders
- Meeting point sent in the booking confirmation, usually outside the main entrance
- Tour guide leads the group through both the synagogue and the Jewish Quarter
Accessibility
The synagogue compound is largely accessible for visitors with mobility needs.
- Wheelchair access: Astoria metro, the main synagogue entrance, the Memorial Park, and the Hungarian Jewish Museum lift are all step-free or lift-accessible
- Heroes’ Temple: a small step at entry; staff can assist on arrival
- Assistance dogs: permitted with prior notice to the visitor desk
- Sensory considerations: the main hall is acoustically calm; the museum has timed audio and video exhibits. Quietest visiting times are first thing in the morning and Friday afternoons
- Carer tickets: a free companion ticket is available for one personal assistant accompanying a disabled guest
For complex access needs, contact the synagogue ahead of your visit.
What to See and Do
The main synagogue hall
Twin octagonal towers, onion domes, gold and red interior, and a Bimah unusually placed in front of the Ark in line with Neolog Jewish practice. Frigyes Feszl’s interior detailing combines Byzantine geometric patterns with Romantic Historicist colour. Look up at the rose windows by Miksa Róth and the polychrome ceiling, both painstakingly restored in the 1990s.
The 1996 mechanical organ sits in the original 1859 case at the western end. The acoustics carry across the 75-metre length of the hall in a way that’s most striking when you arrive just before the next 30-minute guided tour and the music swells without amplification.
The Tree of Life Memorial
Imre Varga’s stainless-steel weeping willow sits at the centre of the Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park behind the synagogue. Each leaf is engraved with the name of a Hungarian Jewish Holocaust victim. The work was funded in part by Hungarian-American actor Tony Curtis, born Bernard Schwartz to Hungarian Jewish parents, through the Emanuel Foundation he established for the synagogue’s restoration.
The artwork is designed to be read at close range. Spend time at the base; the leaves are individual records, not symbols.
The Hungarian Jewish Museum
Built on the exact site of Theodor Herzl’s 1860 birthplace, the museum displays Torah scrolls, ritual silver, religious artefacts, and a substantial Holocaust gallery covering the 1944 to 1945 Budapest Ghetto. The Herzl plaque on the exterior wall is one of the few public markers of his birthplace anywhere in Hungary.
The Holocaust gallery alone deserves 30 to 45 minutes if you read carefully. Quieter visiting times are first thing in the morning and Friday afternoons.
The Heroes’ Temple
A 250-seat chapel added in 1931 to commemorate the more than 10,000 Hungarian Jewish soldiers who died fighting for Austria-Hungary in WWI. Used as the day-to-day prayer space when the main synagogue is not in service. The intimate scale and the stained glass make it a quieter counterpoint to the main hall.
The Jewish Cemetery
The only Jewish cemetery on synagogue grounds in Europe, holding around 2,000 graves of victims from the 1944 to 1945 Budapest Ghetto. The cemetery exists because, during the ghetto period, the dead could not be transported out for burial; the synagogue grounds became the only available consecrated ground.
Often overlooked by visitors moving quickly through the compound. Pause here even if you’ve spent your scheduled time elsewhere.
Insider Tips
A handful of small things that make a visit to Dohány work better.
Book skip-the-line in summer
The on-site ticket office queue regularly runs 30 to 60 minutes between June and August, peaking 11:00 to 14:00. Fast-track tickets booked online walk past the queue straight to the dedicated lane. Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead, so there is no real reason not to book.
Avoid Sundays if you can
Sunday is when most of Budapest’s Jewish community is not in service, so it doubles as a popular tourist day. Combined with weekend tour groups, mornings can be very busy. Mondays and Tuesdays are the calmest days of the week.
Check the Jewish calendar
Major Jewish holidays (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Pesach, Shavuot) follow the lunar calendar, so closure dates shift each year. If your dates are tight, check the current year’s calendar before locking in a booking. Online bookings are refunded automatically if your slot falls on a closure day.
Bring a light wrap in summer
The dress code applies even on the hottest summer days. The synagogue does not provide wraps, so plan ahead. A light scarf or wrap in your daypack works for both shoulders and knees if you’re in a tank top or shorts.
Combine with a Jewish Quarter walk
The neighbourhood east of the synagogue is one of Budapest’s most layered districts: ruin pubs, the smaller Kazinczy synagogue, the former ghetto wall, Israeli food spots. The combo walking tour bundles synagogue entry with a 2-hour neighbourhood walk, and is the easiest way to read the area in context.
Nearby Attractions
Dohány sits at the western edge of the Jewish Quarter and within easy walking distance of central Pest’s main landmarks. Half-day combinations build naturally around the synagogue.
St. Stephen's Basilica
12 minutes on foot. Budapest’s tallest church and the home of the mummified right hand of King Stephen I.
Hungarian Parliament
15 minutes on foot or 4 minutes on M2. The Holy Crown of Hungary and the city’s most photographed building.
Hungarian National Museum
10 minutes south on foot. Hungary’s national history museum, with the country’s coronation regalia and a substantial archaeological collection.
House of Terror Museum
15 minutes on foot up Andrássy. The former headquarters of the secret police, now a museum on Hungary’s 20th-century totalitarian history.
Did You Know? (5 interesting facts!)
- With nearly 3,000 seats, the Dohány Street Synagogue is the largest functioning synagogue in Europe. Globally, only the Belz Great Synagogue in Jerusalem is larger.
- Both Franz Liszt and Camille Saint-Saëns played the original 5,000-pipe organ in the 19th century. The 1996 replacement is a 63-voice mechanical organ; the original case remains.
- The 1991 to 1998 restoration was funded by the Hungarian government, Estée Lauder Companies, and Hungarian-American actor Tony Curtis (born Bernard Schwartz to Hungarian Jewish parents), who founded the Emanuel Foundation specifically for the project.
- Theodor Herzl, founder of modern political Zionism, was born on the exact plot now occupied by the Hungarian Jewish Museum. The plaque outside is one of the few public markers of his birthplace anywhere in Hungary.
- Ludwig Förster’s Moorish Revival design intentionally drew on Islamic and medieval Spanish (Alhambra) traditions rather than European Christian church architecture, asserting a Jewish identity rooted in pre-European Mediterranean origins.
History
- 1854
Foundation stone laid
Ludwig Förster, a Viennese architect, wins the design commission from the Pest Jewish community.
- 1859
Synagogue inaugurated
The synagogue opens with a 5,000-pipe organ and seating for nearly 3,000, the largest in Europe at the time.
- 1860
Theodor Herzl is born next door
The future founder of political Zionism is born on the plot now occupied by the Hungarian Jewish Museum.
- 1931
Heroes’ Temple added
A 250-seat side chapel is built behind the main synagogue to commemorate Hungarian Jews killed in WWI.
- 1939
Arrow Cross arson attack
The synagogue is damaged by an arson attack carried out by the far-right Arrow Cross movement.
- 1944 to 1945
Budapest Ghetto
The synagogue is used as a German Radio HQ and stable. The surrounding ghetto shelters around 70,000 Jews; an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 die from starvation, disease, and Arrow Cross violence.
- 1949 to 1990
Communist suppression
Public Jewish life is suppressed and the synagogue receives minimal repairs. The building deteriorates badly across four decades.
- 1991 to 1998
Major restoration
The Hungarian government, Estée Lauder Companies, and Tony Curtis’s Emanuel Foundation fund a comprehensive restoration. The Memorial Park and Tree of Life are added in the rear courtyard.
- 1996
New mechanical organ
A 63-voice mechanical organ replaces the original pipe organ. The original 1859 case is preserved as part of the architectural fabric.
- 2010s onwards
Recognised heritage destination
The synagogue, Memorial Park, and Hungarian Jewish Museum become one of Budapest’s most-visited single attractions.