The Synagogue: Place of worship and gathering of the Jewish people.

The origin of the Synagogue of Córdoba is closely linked to that of the Jewish diaspora, that is, the first exile of the Hebrew people. They were created with the aim of welcoming Jews, regardless of their origin, so they could gather to practice their religion. In the Synagogue, two functions could be distinguished: as a sanctuary and as a school, where the Bible was studied. The sages and rabbis are the great connoisseurs of the sacred texts and are responsible for presenting them to the faithful.

In Córdoba, during the time of Pope Innocent IV, shortly after the entry of Ferdinand III the Saint into the city, the resident Jews decided to build a grand Synagogue. The construction caused great controversy in the city, especially among the clergy, who, outraged by the sumptuousness of the building and its proximity to the Main Church, complained to the Bishop, who in turn addressed the Pope to inform him of the situation. Innocent IV issued a papal bull demanding the cessation of the works.

The Synagogue as a sanctuary and school

But the Synagogue was not demolished, for the simple reason that when the bull arrived in Córdoba, Bishop Don Gutierre had already died. However, the Synagogue would indeed be demolished a few years later, as the Jews would not be allowed to construct a building of such dimensions for their religious activities. In its place, to fulfill their spiritual needs, another smaller one was built around 1315, under the direction of the architect Ishaq Moheb, which is the one that has survived to this day.

Later uses of the building

As I mentioned earlier, after the expulsion of the Jews by the Catholic Monarchs, the building became a hospital, called de la Santa Quintería, dedicated to the treatment of rabies. In the year 1588, it was turned into the Hermitage of Saint Crispin and Saint Crispinian, patrons of the shoemakers’ guild. At that time, the hermitage was adorned with altarpieces, altars, and even decorated with wall paintings, which eroded the plasterwork and inscriptions from its early period.

Declaration as a National Monument and restoration

In the mid-19th century, it became a nursery school until, in the year 1884, Don Rafael Romero Barros, father of the Cordoban painter Julio Romero de Torres, studied the inscriptions found in the building alongside Father Mariano Párraga. Shortly thereafter, the Synagogue of Córdoba was declared a National Monument, specifically in the year 1885.

Don Félix Hernández, a key figure in the history of our city, to whom we will dedicate a section on our website in the future, presented a project in 1928 for the restoration of the building. Don Félix led the restoration that ultimately left us the current state of the Synagogue, a very meticulous and respectful intervention that, however, could not prevent the loss of some inscriptions.

Visit to the Synagogue of Córdoba

If you’re wondering what to visit in Córdoba, a good option would be the Synagogue, choosing one of our guided tours. Choosing to do quality tourism means choosing ArtenCórdoba.

Text: J.A.S.C.