Semper Synagogue, also known as the Dresden Synagogue, was built in 1838-40 for the Jewish community of Dresden by Gottfried Semper. It was an early example of the Moorish Revival style of synagogue architecture. [1] [2] The Semper was the first synagogue to feature the richly ornamented interior that was to become the hallmark of Moorish Revival architecture. While the exterior was Romanesque, the elaborate Arabic-style interior featured a two-tiered balcony supported by columns copied from the Alhambra. The arches and balcony fronts were richly worked with intricate polychrome foliate and lattice designs in the Moorish style.[3]
The synagogue was destroyed on Kristallnacht.
The New Synagogue (Dresden) was erected on the site of the Semper synagogue.