[3] The foundation stone of the Romanesque Revival style building, designed by Cologne architects Schreiterer & Below, was laid on October 23, 1895, and the inauguration took place on March 22, 1899.

It was further damaged during World War II, when the front portion was completely destroyed leaving only the burnt out tower and central section.

The reconstruction was under the direction of the architect Helmut Goldschmidt, with minor changes on the outside and a simplified interior (with new leadlight windows by Lammers & Warzager), and was reopened on September 20, 1959.

On Christmas Eve of that year, the synagogue was smeared with anti-Jewish slogans by members of the far-right Deutsche Reichspartei.

West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, who had been mayor of Cologne from 1917 until removed by the Nazi government in 1933, made the desecration the subject in his New Year's speech.