A whole building that once housed Adas Israel, the oldest synagogue in Washington, DC, was lifted and rolled down the street in a remarkable relocation.

The brick building, which was opened by President Ulysses S Grant in 1876, travelled down the US capital's Third Street NW on Wednesday.

It will form part of a new museum of Jewish history at the new site, which will open in 2021.

Over the years, the building has housed a Greek Orthodox church and even a barbecue restaurant.

Remarkably, it is not even the first time the vast structure has been moved.

Its first move was in 1969 to avoid demolition to make way for the city subway system's headquarters, the New York Post reported.

In 2016, it was moved a mere 12 metres to move it out of the way of an urban redevelopment project.

“Yes, this is literally a building rolling down the street, but it’s also such a remarkable symbol of our city and the Jewish community here,” said Kara Blond, executive director of the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington told the newspaper.