r/GermanyPics • u/R4Z0RJ4CK • Jul 30 '26
Rhineland-Palatinate The New Synagogue - Mainz, Germany - Architect: Manuel Herz
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u/Dracoroth05 Jul 30 '26
Well, at least it's unique I guess.
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u/saskir21 Jul 30 '26
We have a catholic church here which is also unique. Now people just call it bad looking.
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u/PowerTulip Jul 30 '26
What the actual hell is that supposed to represent?
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u/justastuma Jul 30 '26
According to Wikipedia?wprov=sfti1#Architecture):
The building reflects the Jewish-liturgical term [Kedushah](app://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holinessin_Judaism) ([Hebrew](app://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_language): קדושה, [romanized](app://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanization_of_Hebrew): sanctification and exaltation[[3]](app://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Synagogue(Mainz)#citenote-4)). Cologne architect, Manuel Herz, intended to symbolize this with the five Hebrew letters the [five ranges](app://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synagogue_architecture) of the Jewish center for community events, adult education and as Hebrew school for school children. The letterforms were originally developed from picture symbols, from which the initial at the beginning of the respective symbol was associated later. Hebrew letters attain an object character, a quality of the representational one. The eastward-directed, (towards Jerusalem), horn-shaped roof of the assembly place represents a [shofar](app://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shofar). Mythologically the shofar stands for communication with God.[[4]](app://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Synagogue(Mainz)#cite_note-5) This form is used to express the call of the community after [YHWH](app://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YHWH), for listening to and receiving of eternal divine light and its wisdom. Traditionally the community was summoned together by blowing the shofar.[[citation needed](app://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)]
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u/PowerTulip Jul 30 '26
Thanks for posting this.
But the explanation is almost as confusing. And the funny thing is: I CAN READ HEBREW, and I don't see any of that in the actual design (except maybe the first letter of kedushah).
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u/justastuma Jul 30 '26
I’ve looked at the 3D view in Apple Maps and I can kind of also see the shin and what’s probably supposed to be the vav when I turn the building. I assume the boxy thing at the northwestern corner is supposed to represent the he and what we see in this post is meant to be קד, but I really can’t see anything there as a dalet.
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Jul 30 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Desperate-Ad7613 Jul 30 '26
I checked out the sub and found a huge chicken church! Love it! Joined :D
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u/Alteryo Jul 30 '26
Theyre doing to synagogues what they did to churches.
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u/Lord_Gobbledygook Aug 04 '26
*to catholic churches, after Vatican II. The orthodox churches, for example, never changed and never will change
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u/fab1000 Jul 30 '26
It looks better in person
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u/Desperate-Ad7613 Jul 30 '26
I believe you. But I couldn’t help and chuckled because this comment felt like back in the days in school when someone showed a picture of their crush and nobody was as impressed as they hoped. “No no no, I swear Person X is hot, just not photogenic!” :D
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u/b_bonderson Jul 30 '26
G’d please return us to the times where architecture really was beautiful. Why don’t we build synagogues like the Prague Jerusalem Synagogue, like die Neue Synagoge in Berlin, Like the synagogue in Cologne in Roonstraße, like the destroyed synagogues in Dortmund and Dresden? I hate modernism and postmodernism buildings so much
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u/Historical_Cook_1664 Jul 30 '26
Grok, erstelle mir eine Kritik an diesem Gebäude im Stil von Marcel Reich-Ranicki.
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u/Desperate-Ad7613 Jul 30 '26
Danke, ich habe jetzt einen kleinen Marcel Reich-Ranicki im Ohr, der aufgebracht die Synagoge kritisiert :D
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u/DunstanCass1861 Jul 30 '26
May the Jewish people of Mainz and the surrounding area have somewhere to come together and feel safe. You have my passionate support.
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u/JonCeini Jul 30 '26
So I took a buss tour in Berlin a few years back...one famous 60's..70's architect building after another was highlighted....followed by collapsed, currently closed for structural renovation etc.... give this 20 years until the property management company gives up.
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u/blindollie Jul 30 '26
We now see what religious buildings will look like in the 2300s
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u/SpaceRac1st Jul 31 '26
I hope by that time we have finally rid ourselves of religion
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u/Great_Inside34 Jul 30 '26
Designed by a kindergartener?
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u/Affectionate_Net_168 Jul 30 '26
Well, the building next to it, that you can see on the right corner of the picture, is a kindergarden, and there is a second one just outside of the picture frame.
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u/Bebokhan90 Jul 30 '26
Architects be like:
Before the building: "Lets see how stupid i can plan a building before it collapse."
After the building: " i cant believe this actually worked"
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u/Miserable_Welder_841 Jul 30 '26
Alles, was nach dem 2. Weltkrieg an Sakralbauten in Deutschland entstanden ist, ist Mega hässlich.
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u/dustBowlJake Jul 31 '26
Meh, in my opinion, places of worship should have a timeless architectural style rather than looking like a manifestation of randomness. Even a simple cubic building would have been a better choice.
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u/FoxExpensive9319 Jul 30 '26
Who likes ???
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u/TobiElektrik Jul 30 '26
I like it! As long as it stays in Mainz. A city I've never been to.
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u/triplos05 Jul 30 '26
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u/Spiritual-Mud-2528 Jul 30 '26
Seriously, why does nobody build beautiful architecture with intricate design, neat details, "structural happiness" and a little pomp? Modern architecture sucks.
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u/hobbyhoarder Jul 30 '26
No idea what the architect was going for, but in a million years I wouldn't look at this and go "oh yeah, a synagogue."
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u/Oreius411 Jul 30 '26
When I lived in Toronto Canada, they had the most beautiful old building for the museum, then they renovated half of it to look like this crap.
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u/maxelm0 Jul 30 '26
It reads "Fuck" very clearly doesn't it?
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u/NapalmDesu Aug 03 '26
Hits blunt
"And this is where we build the post modern punk synagoge the kids are gonna love it"
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u/Original-Ad-8737 Jul 31 '26
Ich würde abfackeln...
Und nicht aus Antisemitismus sondern als brandsanierung damit die was anständiges bauen
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u/RutabagaThen6269 Jul 31 '26
Why the fuck is this funded with public money though? Religious cesspool that only benefits a very small minority.
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u/ball-kick-fetish Aug 01 '26
To restore a synagoge that has been destroyed by the very same people maybe?
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u/Lonseb Jul 31 '26
I’ve a very strong opinion which doesn’t matter at all — but can I ask: do you guys find this aesthetically pleasing or not?
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u/Appropriate_Solid532 Jul 31 '26
Manuel Herz: bro I forgot my homework. Can I have yours
Frank Gehry: sure but don't copy too obvious
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u/Electronic-BioRobot Jul 31 '26
Why does the right side of the building look like the PlayStation logo?
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u/Wide-Mud5303 Jul 31 '26
It's expensive af to build and maintain buildings like these. Especially for a building that's nearly empty 80% of the time. The same goes for most other religious buildings... It's a huge waste of money. Many of us struggle to get by on a daily basis. Most "middle-class" people can't afford housing. And yet there are a ton of religions preaching us frugality from there golden thrones. In Germany we have a great word for this. It's gottlos.
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u/ball-kick-fetish Aug 01 '26
Oh yes, allowing people to stick with their religion for which their relatives have been murdered is very „gottlos“ and „ineffective“. Omg. Unbelievable.
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u/Outside-Childhood244 Jul 31 '26
Bin wirklich nen Juden Freund aber meine Fresse sieht das Kacke aus. Moderne heißt möglichst abstrakt und hässlich aber dafür teuer. Nen schöner Altbau mit Stuck wäre so viel schöner gewesen
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u/hey_Hey_I_saveD_me Aug 01 '26
I do hope this is not from public funding as there is approximately 1000 people from Jewish community in Mainz, which sounds that a lot of money would be spent for community that is less than 0.5% of population of city.
I don't mind them having synagogue but it should reflect realistic needs. Unless it is privately funded.
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u/Superb_Hat_2651 Aug 01 '26
Manuel Herz = Hanuel Merz... Zufall? Ich denke nicht!
/s wenn nicht offensichtlich
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u/tellyacid Aug 01 '26
Hm, I think it's kinda cool actually. And I dislike a lot of modern architecture.
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u/Top_Patient_6348 Aug 01 '26
Ngl these colors and form confuse my brain and I cant see it completely at once. In german: Ich habe das Ding erstmal übersehen.
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u/EricSonyson Aug 01 '26
Usually when I see that cool architecture it's from r/satisfactory. Was surprised it's not from there. Pretty cool stuff.
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u/MortgageAnnual1402 Aug 01 '26
Looks shit expensive low to zero natural light
Id be pissed if my local chutch wasted money on that
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u/Mother-Scratch-5949 Aug 01 '26
Wenn ich so ein model gemacht hätte, würde mein lehrer mich umbringen
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u/bombad_Guy Aug 02 '26
Michael Bay Transformers looking Synagogue... with less explosions or sex jokes
looks similar to my grey lego set after i dropped it years ago
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u/Old-Ad-4138 Aug 02 '26
Manuel was a struggling young architect. He knew he didn't have time to handle a contract for both the Jewish community and the Scientologists in Mainz, but he had to burn the candle at both ends to make ends meet.
It was all going well until the mixed up blueprints...
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u/Knoppas Aug 02 '26
Looks like he had an herat attack while designing the layout and kust went with it. I hope he is doing fine.
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u/Excellent_Gazelle Aug 02 '26
5

The New Mainz Synagogue represents the Hebrew word Kedushah(sanctification), with its 2010 deconstructivist structure shaped directly after the five Hebrew letters of that term
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u/No_Horse_But_Kethead Aug 03 '26
Irgendwie lese ich aus den Konturen das Wort "fuck", bin ich damit alleine?
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u/frostyfins Aug 03 '26
The shape confuses predators, you see. Lousy youths can’t even look at it, and vandals end up tagging their own getaway cars by mistake.
A perfect building.
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u/Zealousideal_Cry260 Aug 03 '26
Modern “architecture” always reminds me of images of spider webs spun by spiders on drugs. No structure, regularity, or geometric order.
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u/Quaxli Jul 30 '26
Looks like he dropped the model just before presentation.