Padua Synagogue, Padua, Italy - SpottingHistory.com

The Italian Synagogue of Padua is the only synagogue in city still in use from the Renaissance through World War II. It was built in 1584 and restored in 1581, 1631, 1830, and 1865. It was closed in 1892 when the community built a modern synagogue, but reopened after the war because in 1943 fascists burned the modern synagogue.

The synagogue is located in the historic ghetto. The baroque synagogue measures 18 by 7 meters. As is usual in Italian synagogues, the Bimah and Torah Ark are located at opposite sides of the room, with the space in between left vacant to accommodate the processional. What is unusual about the synagogue at Padua is that the Ark and Bimah are placed on the synagogues's long walls.

The baroque, sixteenth century Torah Ark is made from the wood of a plane tree that was struck down by lightning in the University's famous botanical garden. It features gilded doors, four Corinthian columns made of black marble with white veining, and carved foliage. The balduchin is in the form of a broken pediment.

The ceiling is coffered and painted. The area between the Torah Ark and Bimah is a coffered barrel vault, with large, heavily-carved baroque rosettes in each recess.

References:

Wikipedia

Religious sites in Italy

User Reviews

Adi Grynholc (2 years ago)
Splendid Italian style synagogue. Definitely worth a visit. Entry either on Saturday morning when there is a prayer or with a guide from the Museo Hebraico around the corner.

Sam Gee (2 years ago)
Being inside the synagogue, observing the magnificent interior, hidden in an upper floor one comes to the conclusion, it was all done for one sole reason "to pray and glorify the ONE & ONLY"

Tumid BeSimchu (2 years ago)
Beautiful old holy place! Worth a visit!!

John Löwenhardt (2 years ago)
Magnificent Italian-rite synagogue dating from 1548.

Chiara D'Ascenzo (2 years ago)
Si tratta dell unica sinagoga rimasta delke varie presenti nel ghetto padovano. La sinagoga é visitabile attraverso il museo ebraico. La visita guidata é fatta benissimo, vengono spiegati elementi riguardanti l ebraismo in generale e la storia degli ebrei padovanj nello specifico. Se si è interessati di storia ebraica vale sicuramente la pena.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Ana Paula Hirama

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