Ehemalige Synagoge Ichenhausen
Classicist synagogue from 1781 serving as a "House of Encounter", with a permanent exhibition on the Jewish rural community of Ichenhausen and a mikveh in the cellar.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Jews are first documented in Ichenhausen in 1541; a Jewish community existed there by the end of the 16th century at the latest, which grew in the 19th century into the largest Jewish rural community in Bavaria. The synagogue was rebuilt in 1781 in the early Classicist style and was at times the seat of the state chief rabbi.
In 1938 the National Socialists devastated the building, and later it was used as a warehouse; in 1942/43 the last Jews remaining in Ichenhausen were deported to Auschwitz. Between 1985 and 1987 the synagogue was comprehensively renovated and restored.
Since then it has served as a "House of Encounter". The permanent exhibition "Juden auf dem Lande – Beispiel Ichenhausen" traces, with an accompanying film, the history of the community from its beginnings to its destruction under the Nazi regime. The ritual bath (mikveh) can be visited in the cellar. The house sees itself as a place of tolerance between religions and invites visitors to lectures, concerts, readings and tours. The Jewish cemetery on the southern edge of town, with around 900 surviving gravestones, is part of the walk through Jewish Ichenhausen.
Highlights
- Synagogue from 1781 in the early Classicist style
- Permanent exhibition on the Jewish rural community of Ichenhausen
- Mikveh (ritual bath) in the cellar
- Concerts, readings and discussion evenings in the house
Permanent exhibition
- Juden auf dem Lande – Beispiel Ichenhausen – The exhibition in the synagogue tells the story of what was once the largest Jewish rural community in Bavaria, from its beginnings to its destruction under the Nazi regime; a film and the mikveh in the cellar complete the tour.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €2.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €1.50 |
| Synagogue tour (registration required) | €20 |
| Jewish cemetery tour (registration required) | €10 |
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Regional train from Günzburg (ICE stop on the Munich–Stuttgart line) to Ichenhausen station; bus timetable via the town's website.
By car via the A 8 (exit Günzburg), then about 8 km on the B 16 towards Krumbach.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours of the synagogue and over the Jewish cemetery are available for a fee after registration (tel. +49 8223 3212 or +49 8221 9557796). A digital preview, "Synagoge Ichenhausen digital", is linked on the town's website. |
