Jewish Florence
Synagogue and Jewish Museum in Florence
Jewish Museum in Florence
Synagogue in Florence
Jews florence
Jewish community in Florence
Synagogue and Jewish Museum in Florence
Jewish Florence
Synagogue in Florence
Jewish Museum in Florence
The Jewish presence in Florence is inextricably bound up with the unmistakable green dome of the synagogue gracing the city’s skyline. Its harmonious presence still testifies today to Cavalier David Levi’s determination to build a “monumental synagogue worthy of the city”.
Opened in 1882 in the city’s “Mattonaia” neighbourhood, the synagogue is both the beating heart of Florence’s Jewish community and an integral part of the city’s history. Behind the cast-iron railing, set in a lush garden, we find the synagogue and the Jewish Museum with its superb collection of artistic Jewish ceremonial items and offering breathtaking views of the synagogue itself and the roofs of Florence.
June to September:
Monday to Thursday 10.00 am – 6.30 pm | Friday 10.00 am – 5.00 pm
October to May:
Sunday to Thursday 10.00 am – 5.30 pm | Friday 10.00 am – 3.00 pm
Last tickets sold 45 minutes before closing time
The Synagogue and Museum are closed to visitors on Saturday and on Jewish holidays.
The synagogue of Florence is a truly fascinating monument. The harmony of its forms and the green of its dome adding lustre to the skyline of Florence.
Begun in November 1870 and officially opened in 1882. it was designed in the midst of the Italian Jews’ “Emancipation” which ensured that it was an extremely innovative and unique building. In fact, the Jewish synagogue of Florence is one of the most important examples anywhere in Europe of the exotic Moresque style combining elements of Arab, Romanesque and Byzantine art.
The prayer hall is a jewel in its own right. Its walls are painted with arabesques with gold highlights and geometrical motifs that uplift the visitor’s gaze towards the large dome over the crossing.
The imposing façade with its white travertine and pink limestone cladding, the copper-clad central dome and the towers on either side all come together to make it the “monumental synagogue worthy of Florence” envisaged by Cavalier David Levi in 1868 and still today the heart and soul of Jewish life in the city.
