The Great Synagogue (Tempio Maggiore) of Rome was built shortly after the unification of Italy in 1807, when Victor Emmanuel II dismantled the Roman Ghetto and granted the Jews of Rome full citizenship.

The building that had previously housed the ghetto synagogue (a complicated structure housing five scolas in a single building) was demolished and the community began making plans for a new and impressive building.
 

Designed by Vincenzo Costa and Osvaldo Armanni, the Synagogue was built from 1901-1904 on the banks of the Tiber River and overlooks the former ghetto area. The eclectic style of the building makes it stand out even in a city known for notable buildings and structures.         This attention-grabbing design was a deliberate choice made by the community at the time who wanted the building to be a visible celebration of their freedom and to be seen from many vantage points in the city. The dome is the only squared dome in the city and makes the building easily identifiable even from a distance.

The Synagogue, which celebrated its centenary in 2004, is more than just a house of worship; it also serves as a cultural and organizational center for la Comunità Ebraica di Roma (the Jewish community of Rome).  It houses not only the offices of the Chief Rabbi of Rome but the Jewish Museum of Rome as well.

On April 13, 1986, Pope John Paul II paid an unexpected visit to the Great Synagogue of Rome.  This event marked the first known visit by a pope to a synagogue since the early history of the Catholic Church.

During his visit, the pope prayed with Rabbi Elio Toaff, the former Chief Rabbi of Rome.  This was seen by many as an attempt to improve relations between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people, and as a softening of the Church's historically critical view of Judaism.

On January 17, 2005, 13 cantors, in conjunction with the Jewish Ministers Cantors Association of America (the Chazzanim Farband), performed in a cantorial concert for the first time in the synagogue's history.