On Poklonnaya Hill, a synagogue built to remember, to teach, and to stand beside a church and a mosque as proof that the war belonged to everyone.
At a glance
The Holocaust Memorial Synagogue sits at 53 Kutuzovsky Avenue, part of the outdoor Victory Museum complex on Poklonnaya Hill. It opened in 1998 as an Orthodox Jewish congregation, working synagogue, and Holocaust museum in one. Boris Yeltsin attended the opening. It remains, per Wikipedia, the only building of its kind in the Russian Federation.
History
Poklonnaya Hill rises between the Setun River and a neighboring rise in western Moscow. Planners chose it for a memorial complex marking Russia’s victory in World War II. The Russian Jewish Congress, the country’s largest secular Jewish organization, financed the synagogue’s construction as a companion to the site’s Orthodox church and mosque. Moshe Zarhy of Zarhy Architects, working from Israel, designed the building. It opened in September 1998.
What you see
Inside, a prayer hall opens beneath a balcony. Offices for the rabbi and a library sit alongside it. Frank Meisler designed the interior, adding wall sculptures depicting Jerusalem, the Twelve Tribes of Israel, and the Five Books of Moses. The building doubles as an exhibition space, threading museum galleries through rooms still used for worship.
Cultural significance
The permanent exhibition traces Jewish life in Russia from its earliest communities to the present. It documents everyday objects alongside darker material: over 400 tsarist-era laws once restricted Jewish work, settlement, and religious practice. A large section addresses the Holocaust directly, showing artifacts from the occupation, the ghettos, and the death camps. Jewish partisans and Soviet Jewish heroes are honored here too. One gallery is set aside for Russians, Ukrainians, and Belarusians recognized as Righteous Among the Nations for sheltering Jews under occupation. The museum runs excursions, lectures, and film screenings, and cooperates with the Russian Research and Education Center “Holocaust” to promote historical awareness and tolerance.
Key facts
- Location: 53 Kutuzovsky Avenue, Poklonnaya Hill, Moscow
- Architect: Moshe Zarhy (Zarhy Architects)
- Interior design: Frank Meisler
- Opened: September 1998, attended by Boris Yeltsin
- Style: Postmodern architecture
- Financed by: Russian Jewish Congress
- Function: Active Orthodox synagogue and Holocaust museum
Practical information & getting there
The synagogue stands within the Poklonnaya Hill Victory Museum grounds, easily paired with a visit to the adjacent church and mosque. You can check current exhibition and tour details on the museum’s official site before traveling. As a working synagogue, visiting hours may differ from typical museum schedules, so confirm access ahead of arrival.
Sources & resources
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