The
synagogue in El-Manshia Square was built by Baron Yacoub de Menasce in 1860.
Written By/ Nevine El-Aref.
According
to Mohammed Metwali, general director of antiquities in Alexandria, the
synagogue was built by philanthropist Baron Yacoub de Menasce in 1860. The
decision by the Supreme Council of Antiquities’ board of directors comes after
inspection and investigation of the synagogue’s architectural and
archaeological conditions.
Mohamed
Abdel-Latif, a deputy minister of antiquities and head of the Islamic, Coptic
and Jewish Antiquities Department within the ministry, told Ahram Online that
the decision came within the framework of the ministry’s keenness to add all
Egyptian monuments to the country’s heritage list, regardless of era or
religious affiliation. “All the monuments, whether ancient Egyptian, Jewish,
Coptic, Islamic, on Egyptian land are the country’s properties and unique
heritage,” he said.
Abdel-Latif
explained that the registration of the synagogue, which is located in
El-Manshia Square, will make it an official historical site under the
antiquities protection law, law no. 117 of 1983, and under its amendments in
law no. 3 of 2010. This legislation guarantee the ministry’s full responsibility
for and protection of the site.
The
decision comes after the Permanent Committee of Islamic Antiquities reviewed
the scientific reports submitted by the archaeological committee which
inspected the synagogue and noted its good architectural condition. The
rectangular-shaped building is surrounded by a stone wall with a decorative
element.
The main façade of the synagogue has two rows of
windows and the interior is divided into two sections. The floors are paved
with ceramic tiles, while the ceilings have domed shapes. Menasce was the first
of four Menasce men who headed the Alexandrian Jewish community.
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