Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Santa María la Blanca |
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Interior of Santa María la Blanca.
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Judaism |
| Rite | Sephardi |
| Status | Museum |
| Location | |
| Location | Toledo, Spain |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Synagogue |
| Architectural style | Moorish |
| Completed | 1180 |
The Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca (in Spanish, Sinagoga de Santa María La Blanca) is a famous building in Toledo, Spain. It used to be a Jewish synagogue and is now a museum. Many people believe it is one of the oldest synagogue buildings still standing in Europe. It was built a long time ago, either in the late 1100s or early 1200s. In the early 1400s, it was changed into a Catholic church.
This synagogue is in the old Jewish quarter of Toledo. It sits between the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes and the Synagogue of El Tránsito. It is one of three old synagogues in the area that were built by Jewish people using a special style called Mudéjar or Moorish. This was during the time when Christians ruled the Kingdom of Castile.
Contents
History of the Building
How Old Is This Synagogue?
It's a bit tricky to know exactly when the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca was built. Most clues suggest it was built around the late 1100s or early 1200s. Its building style looks a lot like other buildings from the 1100s, such as the Tinmal Mosque (built in 1149) and the Kutubiyya Mosque (built in 1147).
Many people think it was built around 1205. This is because old papers from that time talk about a "new" and large synagogue in Toledo. Another idea comes from a wooden sign found nearby. It says a new building was "raised up in the year 4940" (which is 1180 CE). If this sign is about this synagogue, it might mean the building was rebuilt or put on the same spot as an older one.
Some experts think the synagogue's design might have come from an older mosque that was on the same land. Another old synagogue in Segovia (which was destroyed in 1899) looked very similar. This suggests that more synagogues like this might have existed in the area long ago.
Some historians, like Leopoldo Torres Balbás, noticed that the plaster work inside Santa María la Blanca looks like work in a convent called Las Huelgas de Burgos, which was built later, around 1275. However, other experts, like Carol Herselle Krinsky, say that the way the decorations are used and how light fills the space matches 12th-century mosques more closely. This points to an earlier building date.
It's also not fully clear who paid for the original synagogue. But there's some proof that a man named Joseph ben Meir ben Shoshan (also called Yusef Abenxuxen) was the original sponsor. Joseph was the son of a finance minister for King Alfonso VIII of Castile. When Joseph died in 1205, his tombstone mentioned that he had built a synagogue. Some theories suggest Joseph rebuilt the synagogue after a difficult time for Jewish people in Toledo. This might explain why the building's floor plan is a bit unusual.
From Synagogue to Church
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In the late 1300s, there were difficult times for Jewish people, including events in 1391. Because of this, the synagogue was taken over by the Catholic church. It officially became a church in the early 1400s. Different sources say it happened in 1401, 1405, 1410, or 1411. The church was then given to a group called the Order of Calatrava.
Its current name, Santa Maria la Blanca ('Saint Mary the White'), comes from this time. It was named after a statue of Mary that was kept inside. Between 1550 and 1556, three small chapels were added to the back of the building. These chapels, called apses, are still there today. They are built in the Renaissance style and are thought to be designed by Alonso de Covarrubias.
Over the years, the building was used for many different things. It was a military barracks (a place for soldiers), a warehouse, and even a dancehall. In 1856, the building was declared a national historical site and was fixed up. In 1929, the government gave Santa María la Blanca back to the local church. Today, it is a popular museum and a place for tourists to visit.
Building Style and Design
Unique Architecture
The synagogue is a great example of Mudéjar architecture. This means it was built by Moorish (Islamic) architects, but not for an Islamic purpose. It also shows elements of Almohad architecture. The simple white walls inside, the use of brick, and the use of pillars instead of columns are all typical of Almohad style.
Even though it was built as a synagogue, its main hall, which has many rows of pillars, and the fact that it doesn't have a separate area for women (called a women's gallery) make it look more like a mosque. An architect in the early 1900s thought it might have had a women's gallery at one time, even though it doesn't today.
Inside the Synagogue
The Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca has a very unusual design. Its floor plan is not perfectly square. It has five long sections, called aisles, with the middle one being a bit wider than the others. The building is about 26 to 28 meters long and 19 to 23 meters wide.
Inside, you'll see many arches supported by 24 eight-sided pillars and eight pillars that are attached to the walls. These eight-sided pillars line the central aisle and hold up the large arches above them. The arches are shaped like horseshoe arches. The tops of the pillars, called capitals, are beautifully carved with details like pinecones and plants. These capitals are in the Mudéjar style and are inspired by older Roman and Byzantine designs.
The building is surrounded by a courtyard. This courtyard was a place where people could gather before and after prayers. It also held other important community buildings. The Rabbi's house, a special bath for rituals, a study hall, and other community places were all in this courtyard. This made it a central spot for the Jewish community's spiritual needs.
- Other architectural details
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Ceiling and upper walls of the arches
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A scallop design in one of the Renaissance chapels
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Floor mosaic
A Request for Return
In 2013, the Jewish community of Toledo asked the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Toledo, Braulio Rodríguez Plaza, if they could take care of the building again. The leader of Spain's Jewish communities, Isaac Querub, met with the archbishop. He explained that there isn't a Jewish community in Toledo today. He also said they didn't want to use Santa María la Blanca as a place of worship again. Instead, they wanted it as a "symbolic gesture" to honor its history.
Legally, the modern Jewish community cannot simply get the building back because they are not direct descendants of the original owners. The building is currently the third most visited historical place in Toledo and works as a museum. It is not used for any religious events. Since 2013, the church has spent almost €800,000 (about £685,000) to keep the building in good condition.
See also
In Spanish: Santa María la Blanca (Toledo) para niños
- Synagogue architecture
- Mudéjar architecture
- Other well-preserved, pre-expulsion synagogues in Híjar, Córdoba, Barcelona and Tomar
