Garnethill Synagogue
6 minute walk from Charing Cross (Glasgow) station · Glasgow and West Central
Completed in 1881, Garnethill Synagogue is an Orthodox Jewish place of worship in Glasgow. Often called the "Mother Synagogue of Glasgow" or the "cathedral synagogue" of Scotland, it is recognised as a Category A listed building and the finest example of high Victorian synagogue architecture north of Liverpool.
The building is historically significant for its Romanesque Revival exterior and a basilica-form interior featuring Byzantine Revival details. Visitors can admire the splendid Torah Ark, which sits on a platform approached by marble steps, and the Hebrew inscription above the main entrance. The site also serves as a hub for history, housing the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre and the Scottish Jewish Heritage Centre.
Visitors can join weekday guided tours to explore the stunning orientalist style interior or view the "A New Life in Scotland" exhibition, which displays a timeline of Jewish history and art. You may also attend Shabbat services on Saturday mornings, delivered in both Hebrew and English, or visit the Holocaust-era Study Centre to use digital resources and a specialised library.
Visitor information
- Place type
- Historic building
- Good for
- Architecture, Churches, abbeys & cathedrals, Local & social history, Museums
- Characteristics
- Listed, Nationally significant, Victorian
- Admission
- Free
- Facilities
- Guided tours available
- Region
- Glasgow and West Central
Stations within walking distance
- Charing Cross (Glasgow) station — 6 min walk, 0.5 km
- Anderston station — 17 min walk, 1.1 km
- Glasgow Queen Street station — 18 min walk, 1.4 km
- Glasgow Central station — 18 min walk, 1.4 km
- Exhibition Centre (Glasgow) station — 22 min walk, 1.7 km
Other places near Charing Cross (Glasgow)
- Glasgow Green and the city centre — 14 min walk from the station
- Pavilion Theatre — 14 min walk from the station
- Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Glasgow — 14 min walk from the station
- Glasgow Royal Concert Hall — 15 min walk from the station
- Glasgow Murals Trail — 15 min walk from the station
- River Kelvin and canals circuit — 17 min walk from the station