Ett temporärt tempel : Arkitektonisk analys och kontextualisering av Karlstads synagoga

The aim of this essay is to study the now demolished synagogue in Karlstad, Sweden. Its existence, or rather lack thereof, is shrouded in mystery as it remains unmentioned in most of Swedish architectural history research, and only briefly in historical writing about the city of Karlstad. The essay is an attempt to preserve and immortalise the memory of this lost piece of cultural heritage. To better understand the synagogues unique visual character it is set against two of its contemporary contexts - 19th century synagogue buildings in Europe, and the prayer houses built by the Swedish Free church and Mission movements. Describing and analysing the architecture of the synagogue in Karlstad provides a foundation for comparison between examples of these two architectural phenomena.