Esnoga de Malhada Sorda - Almeida

A synagogue of occult practices.

Recently refurbished, this 16th century building was until recently commonly known as the Esnoga. Also known as the Clock House, this building may have served as a secret synagogue. The building's façade has a window in late Manueline style of the 16th century and a sundial, believed to be of the 17th century.

However, the building is totally deprived of the elements traditionally associated with a synagogue: there is no structure that refers to the women's baths; there is no Mezuzah at the entrance, nor a Hejal facing east. The absence of all these elements can be read as a concealment strategy, added to the existing Christian iconography within the building.

In fact, the appearance of the inside of the building is that of a common dwelling with a holy water sink with a cross on top on one of the walls, to the deterrence of the inquisitors. We also found a closet that cannot be exactly identified as a Hejal, but could have been secretly adapted for this purpose.