Side by side
A symbol of coexistence.
Harveypinas — CC BY 4.0 · Dan Sloan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · amanderson2 — CC BY 2.0 · Sharmil2672 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Junie609 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sharmil2672 — CC BY-SA 4.0
On Keizerstraat in central Paramaribo, the Neveh Shalom Synagogue and the Keizerstraat Mosque stand side by side, separated by a fence. A white synagogue with a columned porch sits next to a white mosque with a dark dome and four slender minarets, and the two together have become a symbol of coexistence in Suriname. Jews bought the synagogue's plot in 1716, and the first building was finished in 1723. The present building was designed by Jean François Halfhide, begun in 1835 and completed in 1842, and it holds a small museum of the history of Suriname's Jews. The Muslim community was founded in 1929 and built a wooden mosque in 1932; the present mosque was completed in 1984. The boxer Muhammad Ali visited it in 1979. You stand on the pavement and see both buildings together, the synagogue's white porch and the mosque's dome and minarets. The spot is quiet, and the best photo is from across the street. Both are places of worship, so respect prayer times, dress modestly and ask before going in. The spot is 1.2 km from Fort Zeelandia. Viewing from outside is free. Keep your belongings safe in busy streets and do not walk alone in quiet spots.
A symbol of coexistence.
Slender and white.
White columns.
Keizerstraat, central Paramaribo
Waterkant and Historic Inner CityThe Waterkant is a riverside street on the Suriname River in central Paramaribo,8 minutes walk
Saints Peter and Paul CathedralSaints Peter and Paul Cathedral is a large wooden church in central Paramaribo. 8 minutes walk
Fort ZeelandiaFort Zeelandia is a small fortress of stone and red brick on the bank of the Sur15 minutes walkWith permission, respecting prayer times.
From across the street.