Vidin Synagogue

A monumental 19th-century synagogue, the second largest in Bulgaria after the Sofia synagogue. The neo-Moorish facade with twin towers and a rose window still stands intact; the interior was a shell of broken plaster and rubble for decades. Long-delayed restoration is now underway, with the building being converted into a cultural centre.

Even half-restored, the building is one of the most striking sights in Vidin. It sits a few minutes from the river in what was once the Jewish quarter, near the Krastata Kazarma and the old town. Check at the site whether the interior is currently accessible; access has been intermittent during the restoration.

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A story
When the synagogue was built in 1894 Vidin had one of the largest Jewish communities in the Balkans — around 1,500 people. The community was almost completely destroyed by emigration after the Second World War. For decades the empty building was used to store grain by the Communist state, then simply abandoned. Restoration finally began in 2017.