German Synagogue

Over the modest portal the inscription «Beth ha-keneset ha-ghedola keminag aschenazi» tells us this is the « Large Prayer House of German rite, the gift of Joseph and Samuel Matatia ». Beside the portal stands the Synagogue which can be distinguished from the surroundings only by the elegant motif of the five white stone arches. Under the cornice, one can read another inscription « Scuola Grande of the German Holy Community; may God protect them, Amen ».

The Scola Tedesca was begun by the Askhenazi Community in about 1528 and is the oldest Venetian Synagogue. The unknown architect had to overcome considerable difficulties in order to give an appearance of regularity to the asymmetric area of the hall; he achieved this effect by building an elliptical women’s gallery and repeating the same motif in the banisters of the lantern- like opening in the center of the ceiling thus giving a feeling of unexpected depth; in fact the ornamental ele¬ments help to bring about a harmony of form and proportion in the hall.

Inside the entrance door, on the right, above pink marble steps, stands an impressive archi¬tectonic structure of distinctly Baroque taste, formed by a high central part, the Holy Ark ( Aron ), containing the Torah Rolls, and two lateral parts with seats for the Parnasim of the Synagogue.

On the doors of the Ark are inscribed the ten Commandments, inlaid in mother-of-pearl and surmounted by a crown with the words « Keter Tora» (Crown of the Law). Inside the Ark, there are three Sefarim (Tora Rolls) adorned with finely worked silver crowns, finials and breastplates. Under the women’s gallery runs a band on which are inscribed the Ten Commandments according to Exodus.

The pulpit juts out considerably from the back¬wall and helps with its polygonal shape, its fine banisters and elegant, slender Corinthian up¬rights, to create the optical illusion of a regu-larly proportioned hall. The complex containing the Ark juts out on the outside, over the Rio di Ghetto Novo, with a niche which is also to be seen in the Schola Canton, the Schola Italiana and the Schola Le-vantina; it is a characteristic feature of Venetian architecture, called «Diagò» or «Tiagò» and is probably derived from Oriental art.