Chris Pearrow
Sephardi Museum of Toledo
The Synagogue of El Transito was definitely the highlight of our day-trip to Toledo. Located in the city’s historic Jewish quarter right around the corner from Toledo’s other star synagogue, Santa Maria la Blanca, the Synagogue of El Transito is a massive space boasting absolutely stunning stucco work which recalls the grand Moorish monuments of Andalucía, and a spectacular Mudéjar-style wooden ceiling. To get a better view of the ceiling, the decorative windows, and the upper arches and their Hebrew inscriptions, you can take the stairs up to the women’s gallery (synagogues were segregated by gender at the time) on the second floor.
The synagogue was originally built in the 14th century before the expulsion of Jews from Spain and it’s curious in that it’s much larger and more decorative than synagogues were allowed to be at that time (this is probably due to the synagogue’s patron being the Treasurer for the king at the time!). Today, it serves as a museum which honors the history of the Sephardim, the pre-expulsion Jewish population of the Iberian peninsula, though to be fair the museum part was somewhat less interesting than the building itself.
The entry fee, if I remember correctly, is 3 euros and it’s more than worth it. Try to go in the morning before the tourist buses arrive so you can enjoy this architectural wonder in peace!
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