Ancient synagogue (Barcelona) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ancient Synagogue of Barcelona |
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Carrer Marlet, in the old Jewish quarter of Barcelona. The Sinagoga Major is on the left.
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Judaism |
| Rite | Sephardi |
| Status | Active/Museum |
| Location | |
| Location | Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Synagogue |
| Completed | 3rd or 4th century |
| Website | |
| http://www.sinagogamayor.com | |
The Ancient Synagogue of Barcelona (Catalan: Sinagoga Major de Barcelona; Spanish: Sinagoga Mayor de Barcelona) is a very old synagogue in the Jewish quarter of Barcelona, Spain. People believe it is one of the oldest synagogues in Europe.
A famous rabbi named Shlomo ben Adret was the leader here for 50 years. This was in the late 1200s. The synagogue might have been built as early as the 3rd century. After being used for other things for many years, it opened again in 2002. Today, it is a museum and a place for special events. These events include B'nei Mitzvah and weddings.
Contents
History of the Oldest Synagogue
Archaeologists have studied the building. They think the first part of the building was made in the 3rd or 4th century. We are not sure if it was a synagogue back then. The building got much bigger in the 1200s.
Barcelona had several synagogues in the Middle Ages. The main one was in this same area. King James I visited this synagogue in 1263. This was after an important discussion called the Disputation of Barcelona. Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet worked here for 50 years.
Finding the Lost Synagogue
In 1391, Jewish people in Barcelona faced very hard times. The synagogue building was then used for many other purposes. Over time, people forgot it was once a synagogue. More floors were added to the building.
In 1987, a researcher named Jaume Riera y Sans started looking for the Sinagoga Major. He used old tax records to figure out where it might be.
His work helped Miguel Iaffa look closely at the building. Iaffa noticed something special. The building faced east, towards Jerusalem. This was important for Jewish religious rules (Halakha). It also had two windows, as required. The way it faced was different from other streets nearby.
Iaffa bought the building in 1995. He then led a group called the Call Association of Barcelona (Catalan: Associació Call de Barcelona). They worked to bring the synagogue back to life. The Sinagoga Major opened to the public in 2002. About 20,000 people visited it in 2005.
Special Events and Gifts
In 2003, a couple from Canada got married here. This was the first wedding in over 600 years! In 2006, a lawyer from New York gave the synagogue a very old sefer Torah. This is a special scroll containing Jewish holy texts.
In 2009, an incident happened at the synagogue. A person attacked the building with a baseball bat. A worker was hurt, but the attacker was stopped by the police.
See also
In Spanish: Sinagoga Mayor de Barcelona para niños
- Oldest synagogues in the world
Images for kids
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Entrance to the Associació Call de Barcelona (the synagogue)
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A menorah seen inside the synagogue
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The sefer Torah (Torah scroll) seen inside the synagogue
