Destroyed Great Synagogue of Vilna recreated in 3D clips

The city of Vilnius marked the 300th anniversary of the birth of Vilna Gaon Elijah ben Solomon Zalman by offering a virtual tour of the Great Synagogue of Vilna, which was destroyed under the Soviet Regime.

The 3D project features realistic footage of the site, including the complex, the courtyard and the interior. The clips were made used archived photos and architectural drawings.
The synagogue originally had five floors, two of which were underground, and could host up to 5,000 worshipers.
2020 has been designated the Year of the Vilna Gaon and the History of the Jews of Lithuania. “In a city that’s deeply rooted intellectually, spiritually, and politically into the European Judaism history, we dare to apply the newest technology methods to preserve the layers of our Jewish heritage,” said the director of Go Vilnius, Inga Romanovskienė.
Three original pieces of the synagogue remain: a door of the Holy Ark, a reader’s desk, and a bas-relief of the Ten Commandments. The items can be found at the Vilna Gaon Jewish Museum.

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