The Hollandse Synagoge (Dutch Synagogue), officially the Synagogue Shomré Hadas, is a historic Orthodox synagogue situated at Bouwmeestersstraat 7 in Antwerp, Belgium. Inaugurated in 1893, it was designed by the prominent Antwerp architects Joseph Hertogs and Ernest Stordiau in the Moorish Revival style, featuring a distinctive striped brick facade, twin corner towers topped with copper domes, and a monumental rose window. It is notable for being the first large, custom-built synagogue in the city and was designated a protected historical monument by the Belgian state in 1976.
History
The synagogue was established to accommodate the growing community of Antwerp's Orthodox Jews, many of whom were descendants of immigrants who had arrived from the Netherlands during the early 19th century—giving rise to its popular name, the "Dutch Synagogue". The congregation commissioned architects Joseph Hertogs and Ernest Stordiau to design a grand building reflecting the community's cultural presence.
During the German occupation of Belgium in World War II, the synagogue ceased regular functions and suffered severe damage. In 1944, a Nazi V-1 flying bomb exploded in the vicinity, causing extensive structural harm to the roof and facade. Following the liberation, a restoration effort was undertaken, and the building was officially reopened for services in 1958.
In the early 21st century, the building faced severe structural instability. The synagogue had been constructed partly over the foundations of Antwerp's 16th-century Spanish city walls. Lowering water tables caused the underlying wooden foundation piles to rot, leading to settlement that threatened to split the edifice in two. A major foundation stabilization and interior restoration project was initiated in 2017. Completed in 2022, the project secured the building's structural integrity and restored the vibrant original interior color scheme of turquoise, yellow, red, and blue.
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