Grand Synagogue of Edirne The Grand Synagogue of Edirne, also known as the Adrianople Synagogue, is an important historic Sephardi synagogue situated on Maarif Street in Edirne, Turkey. Built in the Moorish Revival style, it underwent major restoration work in 2015. Following the devastating 1905 Great Fire of Edirne which destroyed over 1,500 houses and damaged many synagogues, a new synagogue was constructed on January 6, 1906 in the Suriçi (Citadel) neighborhood with the approval of the Ottoman Government and Sultan Abdul Hamid II's edict. The original design was by French architect France Depré, who took inspiration from Vienna's Leopoldstädter Tempel. Capable of accommodating up to 1,200 worshippers (900 men and 300 women), the synagogue is the largest in Turkey and the third-largest temple in Europe. The synagogue was abandoned in 1983 as most of the Jewish community left Turkey for Israel, Europe, and North America. Legal control of the synagogue was transferred to the Turkish Foundations Institution in 1995. After undergoing extensive repairs and renovations, the Edirne synagogue reopened on March 26, 2015. The event was celebrated with an official ceremony attended by Ishak Ibrahimzadeh, the leader of the Jewish community in Turkey, and around 500 members of the Turkish Jewish community who participated in the morning prayer service.