Dendrochronology dates the oldest parts to 1094, and a second phase followed in the 12th century. A larger synagogue was built around 1270 incorporating earlier parts, and it was extended with another story in the early 1300s. Most parts date from about 1250 to 1320. The article names no architect or client and gives no dimensions. The style is Romanesque and Gothic, and a sandstone double-arched window survives in the west wall.
The building was damaged after the 1349 massacre. It then served as a warehouse for about 500 years, and later as a ballroom, restaurant and bowling alleys. The city of Erfurt bought it in 1998.
It opened as a Jewish history museum on October 27, 2009. UNESCO inscribed it in 2023. It is believed to be the oldest intact synagogue building in the world.
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