There is an incredibly rich Jewish Heritage in Portugal worth exploring.
There is a unique history, dating back to 1496, with the Edict of Expulsion of the Jews in Portugal, which forced them to convert to Catholicism, to become New Christians. The symbolic marks and inscriptions of those times can still be seen carved on the houses of the old Jewish quarters, whose vestiges are preserved in places like Trancoso, Belmonte, Guarda or Castelo de Vide.
The synagogues and former Jewish Quarters in Lisbon and Porto are excellent destinations, as is the city of Tomar – featuring a historic synagogue and the Jewish Museum.
You can easily discover Jewish history in Portugal by following the "Rede das Judiarias" - The Portuguese Network of Jewish Quarters, which preserves the testimony of the meeting of peoples and cultures, and runs from the Jewish cemetery in Faro to the museum-synagogue in Castelo de Vide, passing through Lamego, Guarda, Fornos de Algodres, Elvas, Freixo de Espada à Cinta and dozens of other places.
We can highlight some of them:
- Abraão Zacuto Luso-Hebrew Museum, in Tomar
- The Isaac Cardoso Jewish Interpretation Centre in Trancoso
- Isaac Bitton Museum, in Faro
- Museu de Évora: chest and bureau of the Inquisition Court, mid 16th century
- The Jewish quarter at Castelo de Vide
- Ancient Jewish Quarter at Covilhã
- The Exiles Memorial Centre researches, preserves and interprets the memories and life stories of the refugees, and in particular in the context of Nazi persecution
- Sephardic Culture Interpretation Centre - Bragança
- Synagogue Kadoorie Mekor Haim, Oporto
On the other hand, Jewish history in Spain goes back to the time of the Romans and by the Middle Ages, Spain was the center of the Jewish world in Europe.
The Jewish Heritage in Spain is too rich to be told here, so we invite you to discover history, art, traditions and a unique gastronomy, as you stroll through the narrow streets of ancient Jewish quarters, enter a synagogue and visit museums that aim to preserve this legacy:
- Barcelona - The old synagogue, or major synagogue of Barcelona is in the old medieval Jewish quarter. The building dates from the 6th century and is to date the oldest synagogue found in Spain. The archives of the Crown of Aragon preserve a precious and vast documentation on the history of the life of the Catalan Jews;
- In Girona that still has the best-preserved and most important Jewish quarter in Spain. The educational and cultural complex Bonastruc Ca Porta Centre, includes the Institute for Sephardic Studies, the Catalan Museum of Jewish Culture, and a library with unique medieval Jewish manuscripts;
- Besalu with one of the only three 12th century Mikvah in Europe.
- In Cordoba visit the Synagogue built in 1314, a beautiful Mudejar building nearly perfectly preserved and the only synagogue in Spain from that time not to have been turned into a Christian building. See Almodovar gate or ‘Gate of the Jews’, the Casa Sefarad, a cultural project concerned with Judeo-Spanish culture, history and tradition and also a monument to the great Jewish doctor and philosopher, Maimonides
- The Jewish community lived in Granada in perfect freedom until the first persecution in 1066 when the entire Jewish population fled or was killed. The “Realejo” also known as the Juderia or Jewish Quarter during the Muslim period of rule where you can visit Sephardic House - a privately-run Sephardic museum that opened in 2014
- Seville with its beautiful Mudejar building - Casa de Pilatos - completed in 1540 and situated in the Barrio Santa Cruz (the old Jewish quarter), with many former synagogues (turn into Cristian churches). The Jewish Quarter’s had there access gates De la Carne, San Nicolas and Meson del Moro
- Caceres, declared a World Heritage by UNESCO and surrounded by Moorish walls, is splendidly preserved. From the 13th to15th centuries, Jewish families lived and worked in the Barrio de San Antonio. Stroll beneath the Roman Arco de Cristo and you’ll arrive at the Olivar de la Judería, or the Jewish Quarters olive grove. Discover the modest homes of the Aljama (the Jewish district in medieval times) and the synagogue, now the Ermita de San Antonio.
- In Plasencia in the 13th century the Jewish community thrived. Its inhabitants came to own land or rent vineyards to work, according to the preserved documents of the 13th century
- Toledo was, just before the expulsion, one of the leading centres of Jewry in Spain the `Jerusalem of the west´. Here Muslims, Jews and Christians coexisted in harmony for centuries. In the 14th century, after the Jews had been expelled, eight of the citys ten synagogues and its five Talmudic schools were destroyed. The remaining synagogues were converted into churches. One was the Samuel Halevi Abulafia Synagogue known nowadays as Nuestro Señora del Transito and, since 1972, a Sephardic Museum with historic Hebrew inscriptions.
- In Madrid, the main centre of Jewish activity is the Beth Yaacov Synagogue where there is a small history museum inaugurated in 2007 (visited though a pre-booked appointment). Since 2008 the mayor of Madrid and dignitaries from the Jewish Community and Sefarad-Israel take part in the Hanukkah celebrations.
Whether in Portugal or Spain, or combining the two countries, we can take you through the Sepharad Rout to discover the Jewish Heritage, and also enjoying other Cultural possibilities, in this two amazing countries.
We hope you have gained inspiration for your next trip!
We can help you to design the best tour. Contact our travel consultants, and get a personalised offer!
JEWISH HERITAGE
