Bridgetown Synagogue

Bridgetown Synagogue

The synagogue is located in Bridgetown, the capital of the Caribbean island nation of Barbados, just yards away from Broad Street in the capital. Bridgetown Synagogue is known as one of the Seven Wonders of Barbados. It was built in the 17th century, destroyed by a hurricane in 1831, and then rebuilt in 1929.

It is a beautiful Gothic-style building, characterized by towering spires, pointed arches, large windows, and stained glass windows depicting biblical stories. The design utilizes pointed ribbed vaults, flying buttresses, and slender clustered columns to create a light and airy soaring effect. The Gothic-style church evokes a strong religious atmosphere. Shortly after British colonists landed in 1627, around 300 Jews from Recife, Brazil — who were among the Jewish immigrants to Barbados over the centuries — established this unique synagogue. The Bridgetown Synagogue complex includes a cemetery that houses the remains of Jews who immigrated here in the 1630s. Bridgetown Synagogue is considered the oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere.