Spanish Synagogues

Early medieval Spain was a true multicultural society. Both in areas under Christian rule, and in the Muslim south, three religions coexisted – Christianity, Islam, and Judaism – sharing a common artistic heritage and literary traditions.

After 1492, when the Jews were expelled from Spain in the same year that Columbus opened up a new Spanish empire, this rich inheritance was forgotten. Some Jewish quarters were razed – as in Segovia, where the new cathedral was built on the site of the Juderia. Some synagogues became churches. These were the lucky ones – others became barns, and later on, were even used as garages and electrical shops.

However the Jewish history of Spain is now being re-examined, and it’s possible to visit several of the medieval synagogues, many restored to their original glory.

Toledo - One City, Two Synagogues

Toledo has two synagogues, the Transito and Santa Maria la Blanca. Both became churches after the expulsion of the Jews, as their names suggest.

The Transito synagogue was founded in 1357 by Samuel Ha-Levi – the richest Spaniard of his time and finance minister to Pedro I of Castile. It’s a simple, but large, rectangular building, with a women’s gallery along one side. Despite the simplicity of the architecture, though, it’s highly decorated, with ornate plasterwork in the mudéjar (Arab influenced) style. Look carefully and you’ll see how the decoration of the synagogue reflects the multicultural nature of medieval Spain – Arabic inscriptions complement the Hebrew ones, and the coat of arms of Castile appears, praising Halevi’s patron the king.

The older synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca is completely different. With its five aisles divided by horseshoe arched arcades, it’s reminiscent of such spaces as Cordoba’s great mosque. Dating from 1180, it’s built in a style typical of the Islamic south – though Toledo had already been ruled by the Christians for a hundred years when it was begun.

Segovia also has a surviving synagogue, now the church of Corpus Christi. It was modelled on Santa Maria la Blanca, though it’s smaller. Nearby, a Jewish museum occupies the house of Abraham Seneor, chief judge and Rabbi of the Castilian Jewish community and an adviser to Queen Isabel of Castile.

Synagogues Copied Arab Style - Even Under Christian Rule

Further south, in the Andalusian city of Cordoba, is the smallest of the synagogues, tucked into an odd-shaped corner of the Juderia. Founded in 1315, it’s later than the Toledo synagogues, and was built when the city was under Christian rule, but in pure Arab style. Even its dimensions – it’s almost a perfect cube, reflecting the Arab tradition of the qubba or cubical audience room – reflect Islamic culture. So does the lovely plasterwork.

These synagogues all now operate as tourist sites (though the Segovia synagogue is still a church in the care of a convent). They can get very busy; if you want to see them at their best, turn up at opening time before the coach parties arrive.

In Hijar, near Zaragoza, the Jewish quarter retains much of its charm and the synagogue can be visited. It’s a much simpler work than the Toledo or Cordoba works but has a striking, rough-hewn integrity. The juderias or Jewish quarters of both Hijar and Tarazona are worth a visit, with their narrow twisting alleys.

Worshippers Return to Barcelona's Ancient Synagogue

Jewish heritage in Spain is still being rediscovered. For instance in the ‘Call’ or Jewish quarter of Barcelona, the old synagogue has been rediscovered after years of being submerged in the urban fabric. The building, at Calle Marlet number 5, had been an electrical shop’s storehouse for years, but has recently been restored. And though the main synagogue of modern Barcelona is elsewhere, bar and bat mitzvahs are now being celebrated in the old building – bringing it back to life as part of the contemporary Jewish community.

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