Scottish Jewish Heritage Centre

The Garnethill Synagogue is identified by its prominent, Byzantine-style dome that rises above the residential stonework of the neighborhood. This building opened in eighteen seventy-nine as the first purpose-built synagogue in Scotland, serving a growing community of Jewish immigrants arriving from Eastern Europe. In the nineteen eighties, the congregation nearly shuttered the site due to dwindling numbers. Instead, they transformed the lower floors into a dedicated heritage center to archive and display the stories of Jewish life in Scotland.