Jewish Florence | World Jewish Travel

Jewish city story of Florence

A unique Florence is one narrated by the places of the Florence Jewish Community. Thanks to the synagogue, the museum and the monumental cemetery, you can discover a privileged lens to look deep into the great history of the capital city of Tuscany.

THE BEST OF Florence

Jewish Tuscany Classic Tour

and 2 other Tours

Giovanna Bossi Rosenfeld

and 1 other Guides

Hotel Monna Lisa

and 2 other Hotels

Gelateria Ambrosia

and 2 other Restaurants

קבלו השראה! Get Inspired!

Jewish Story Videos

Instagram: Restaurants

Shabbat Around The World

Instagram: Travel

Get Google's city map with all of our info, sites and treats included!

View map

אתרים מומלצים Sites to see

The Jewish Ghetto

Florence's ghetto was established by Cosimo I de’ Medici in 1570. It covered the area facing today’s Piazza della Repubblica, between Via Roma, Via Tosinghi and Via Brunelleschi, according to the plan of grand-ducal engineer Bernardo Buontalenti. The daily life of the local Jewish population was spent in this gated area. Two synagogues – the Italian one, and the Spanish one – overlooked a central square, in which a well provided the entire community with water. Between 1704 and 1714 the ghetto was expanded as far as Via de’ Pecori: an edict by Cosimo II had in fact withdrawn the privilege granted to many Jews to live outside the ghetto, and it became necessary to increase the available residential space. The restrictive conditions were somewhat relaxed after 1737, when the House of Lorraine came to power. After an interruption during the years of French rule, the gates were definitively dismantled in 1848 and Jewish emancipation was recognized by the Parliament of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. In the late 19th century, an urban requalification plan led to the demolition of the original buildings, and the construction of the blocks which still exist today. You will not, then, be able to see particular buildings or vestiges of the ghetto, but simply identify the area on which it once was.

Cemetery of Caciolle

Many places once used as cemeteries have been identified. The first, across the Arno, at the Chiasso de’ Giudei, was replaced by a second near what is currently the Lungarno della Zecca; this in turn was supplanted by others, which were created in the Porta San Frediano area. Here in 1777 the plot was purchased on today’s Viale Ariosto, to house the new Jewish burial ground which still exists, although it is no longer in use. This was joined in 1884 by the Rifredi cemetery, designed by architect Marco Treves. When it will no longer be possible to use it, a new cemetery will be founded in the San Silvestro (Cercina) area, with its grounds designed by the architect Renzo Funaro.

Cemetery of Viale Ariosto

“A corner of the city that’s hidden and unfamiliar even to most Florentines themselves”: such is the Jewish Monumental Cemetery, which opened in 1777 outside the gate of San Frediano and remained in use until 1870. A tall perimeter wall acts as a jealous guardian to protect, like a precious chest, a major cultural treasure. It is made up of funerary chapels and monuments, such as Cav. David Levi’s Egyptian pyramid-shaped tomb, which are timeworn yet worth visiting to discover this atmospheric place, which is emblematic of Jewish society. While there are none of the figurative works found in other Jewish cemeteries, some of the tombs are nothing short of sculptures, of considerable artistic value. Equally interesting are the funerary chapels in neo-Egyptian and neo-Renaissance style, such as that of the Franchetti family. The same styles are found in the oldest part of the Rifredi cemetery (13, Via di Caciolle), designed by Marco Treves (one of the three architects who designed the Tempio Monumentale) between 1881 and 1884. The recently-restored mortuary chapel takes the form of a central-plan temple in Renaissance style, with painted decorations on the inside. Jewish tradition does not allow for bodies to be exhumed, except in a few specific cases; generally more than one cemetery or “campaccio”, the term used to denote Jewish burial grounds, was found in each city. When the whole area had been covered by tombs, a new plot needed to be found, even though human and municipal circumstances often flouted this rule, requiring remains and tombstones to be moved elsewhere.

Your site could be here

Tours of Florence

Jewish Tuscany Classic Tour

Walking tour of Florence and a visit to the Synagogue. The tour starts at the Colonna dell’Abbondanza in Piazza della Repubblica where the ancient Jewish ghetto and Renaissance market once stood. It was demolished when Florence became the capital city of Italy. As we travel through the city center, we reach the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral and the Baptistery where we can admire the Eastern door, better known as the Door of Paradise. We continue along via dell Oche. Two Synagogues once stood on this road – one of Italian extraction and one Spanish – before the Synagogue was built where we find it today. The tour now takes us to the Synagogue of Florence: the construction of this beautiful structure is the symbol of the Emancipation of the Jewish community in Italy. It was constructed between 1874 and 1882, and is, not surprisingly given the artistic context in which it was conceived, considered one of the most beautiful Synagogues in the world. The tour ends with a visit inside the Synagogue and the adjacent Jewish Museum.

Jewish and Renaissance Florence Half Day Tour

The tour starts at Accademia Gallery to see the original David by Michelangelo and his other statues. Then you will visit the great Synagogue and Jewish Museum. You will walk through the city center to discover Jewish presence in Florence from Renaissance to today, visiting many of the most famous landmarks as well as sites of less-well-known Jewish history. These include the area around the Duomo, with the Baptistery’s famous Gates of Paradise (10 panels with Tanach stories), the Piazza della Repubblica, where the Jewish ghetto remained until it was torn down in the late 19th century. We will end up with Piazza della Signoria, and the area around the Ponte Vecchio, including the former Via dei Giudei (Street of the Jews).

Florence Jewish Walking Tours

You will visit the great Synagogue and Jewish Museum. You will walk through the city center to discover Jewish presence in Florence from Renaissance to today, visiting many of the most famous landmarks as well as sites of less-well-known Jewish history. These include the area around the Duomo, with the Baptistery’s famous Gates of Paradise (10 panels with Tanach stories), the Piazza della Repubblica, where the Jewish ghetto remained until it was torn down in the late 19th century. We will end up with Piazza della Signoria, and the area around the Ponte Vecchio, including the former Via dei Giudei (Street of the Jews).

Your tour could be here

מסעדות בסגנון יהודי JEWISH STYLE RESTAURANTS

Gelateria Ambrosia

Not only does this gelateria and yogurteria uses fresh ingredients every day to make frozen yogurt and gelato, but they are kosher under the supervision of the Chief Rabbi of Florence. What makes this gelato so special is that they are entirely free of artificial additives and use a mix of three superfoods: baobab, maranta and kuzu.

Ba Ghetto Firenze

The latest addition to the Ba Ghetto family, this restaurant also brings the experience of Judeo-Roman and Middle Eastern kosher cuisine to Florence. Located in via Luigi Carlo Farini 5 / r, the restaurant is located in front of the beautiful Synagogue and a few minutes from the main monuments and squares of the city, in the center of the lively Sant'Ambrogio district. The area has made crafts and traditions its strong point. It is characterized by narrow lanes closed to traffic where you can stroll, shop and browse the various antique shops or in the famous Sant’Ambrogio Market, which offers a glimpse of daily life in the Renaissance city. Here the Dabush brothers have found the right place for Ba Ghetto's cuisine, capable of respecting tradition and looking to the future at the same time.

Ruth's Kosher Restaurant

RUTH'S is the kosher vegetarian food Jewish restaurant of Florence under the supervision of the Chief Rabbi of Jewish Community of Florence Rav Joseph Levi.

Your restaurant could be here

View All Restaurants See Kosher Restaurants

מדריכים בעיר CITY GUIDES

Giovanna Bossi Rosenfeld

I am Giovanna Bossi Rosenfeld, a licensed Tour Guide specialized in Jewish Tours of Florence. Since 2006 I have led a team of Guides, each carefully selected for knowledge, enthusiasm, and a commitment to sharing the history and culture of Jewish and Renaissance Florence. History, art and Judaism are my three passions at the foundation of my training, which led me to become a qualified tour guide specializing in tours in Florence and Tuscany with a Jewish perspective. I was born and raised in Florence, where I got my University degree in Architecture. After significant experience as an architect specializing in ancient building restoration, I decided to follow my passion for art, history and Jewish life, culture, and history. First, I served as internal guide for the Synagogue and Jewish Museum of Florence. Then, in 1998, I was licensed as a Tour Guide of Florence, officially certified by the Regione Toscana. From the start I focused on customized Jewish itineraries of Florence and Tuscany. I have studied Hebrew, I regularly visit Israel, I am currently collaborating with the Jewish Community of Florence and also have very good relationships with all Jewish Communities throughout Tuscany, including Livorno, Pisa, Siena and Pitigliano.

Steven

Your guide, Steven, grew up in Southern California and inherited a profound appreciation of Italian art and history from his father who served in Italy during World War II. As nomadic as his biblical forefathers, he has resided in Europe at various intervals before definitively returning to Italy in 1989 to create a home and study art history at the Università degli Studi in Florence. He speaks, reads and writes in Italian and French and is passionate about his English Setter, wine, woodworking, and gardening. Increasingly, he finds himself amidst an alien culture and, like the Italian Jews themselves, often in a world very foreign. JEWISH ITALY is more than his repudiation of national confines, insatiable appetite to travel, a means to a livelihood, research or an education. They are his tours of the Jewish soul. Jason is a native Italian from an old and distinguished family that includes scientists and writers well known in Italian society. An attorney admitted to the practice of law in the State of New York, he has always held an avid affinity for the Jewish history of Italy. He resided in Italy for many years and now lives in Sun City, Arizona with his wife, Marisa. He passes leisure time photographing the desert, continues to write mystery novels under the name of Joseph Steven, and is active in the area's Jewish community. Over the years, he has persevered in making the Jewish-American community aware of the rich tapestry woven by Italian Jews and their worldwide contributions to the world of science and letters. He is fluent in Italian, Spanish, Catalan, and English and our contact within.

You could be here

You could be here

View All Guides

קראו עוד בלוגים וספרים אלקטרוניים READ MORE BLOGS AND EBOOKS

FBCEI - Fondazione Beni Culturali Ebraici in Italia August 4, 2022

The Jewish Story of Florence, Italy

A unique Florence is one narrated by the places of the Florence Jewish Community. Thanks to the synagogue, the museum and the monumental cemetery, you can discover a privileged lens to look deep into the great history of the capital city of Tuscany. [caption id="attachment_30201" align="alignnone" width="1500"] The Great Synagogue of Florence[/caption] A town of little importance during the early Middle Ages, Florence became more firmly established during the course of the 11th century. During the 12th century, it began to grow at such a rate that it clashed with the other Tuscany city-states. In the 14th century, these conflicts took the form of political rivalry between the Guelph and Ghibelline factions, and when the Guelph government of Florence chose to support the House of Anjou it was able to overwhelm its rivals and maintain lasting power. Florence reached the height of its glory in the 15th century, under Cosimo il Vecchio and Lorenzoil Magnifico, who was the main patron of the extraordinary cultural phenomenon known as the Rinascimento (the Italian Renaissance), which made Italy the cradle of new European art.

Your eBook or blog could be here

Hotels in Florence

Hotel Monna Lisa

The Hotel Monna Lisa is located right in the heart of old Florence, among the Medieval streets and Renaissance palazzos

San Firenze Suites & Spa

Welcoming you is truly a pleasure for us.Experience our passion for hospitality. Since the moment you are planning your trip our staff will be happy to assist you. Discover our top-notch one to one service. Whatever you ask for, we will do our very best to give you the perfect answer. Each guest is different. That is why we take care of every minute detail concerning your stay with us, even before your arrival! Do not hesitate to write or call us to seek information. We can reserve tickets and restaurant tables. We can organize activities, excursions and guided tours throughout Tuscany. So we can personalize your stay with us from the beginning to the end of your stay. We can arrange those services you prefer. Room service. Late check-in or check-out. Valet parking. Play areas and entertainment for your children. Whatever special requirement or occasion you have for us to plan, we are at your service.

Hotel Savoy

The elegant Hotel Savoy, a Rocco Forte Hotel, is a luxury five star experience in the historical city centre of Florence. Hotel Savoy is built on the site where the Mercato Vecchio and church of San Tommaso once stood. Work on the hotel started in 1893 and, once completed, it was praised for its modern and luxurious touches — including central heating, an elevator and even electric lights. Located moments from the Duomo, Hotel Savoy is the ideal place to soak up Florentine life. From the Piazza della Signoria to the Ponte Vecchio, we're a short walk away from the city's key sights. Discover Italian craftsmanship at the leather school or the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, and unearth classic treasures at the Leonardo da Vinci Museum. Browse art at the Uffizi and Accademia galleries, or climb Giotto's Bell Tower - as a partner of Firenze, Yes Please, we'll show you a Tuscany tailored to your interests. History, culture, architecture, food and wine, fashion and more - nothing gives us greater pleasure than sharing our knowledge. Our central location gives us the utmost benefit of accessibility, with the train station only a short five minutes walk from the station, whilst Florence Airport is thirty minutes away by car. For those driving, we provide valet parking.

Your hotel could be here

View All Hotels

#JEWISHFLORENCE

This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: There are no business accounts connected.

This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: There is no connected account for the user world_jewish_travel.