Interpretation Centre of the Jewish Community - Torres Vedras

The history of the Jewish community of Torres Vedras.

The Interpretation Centre of the Jewish Community is located in the historic centre of Torres Vedras, near the castle and 50 metres from the ancient Jewish quarter. It occupies a number of buildings of traditional architecture, known as Cerca da Josefa and consists of three spaces: the first room explains the Jewish presence in Portugal and in Torres Vedras, since its origins until the expulsion and forced conversion, making documentary information, such as contracts, charters for forgiveness or royal charters known.

The second room is the reconstruction of a Jewish quarter, which existed in Torres Vedras and describes the main families of the community, indicating their names, professions and everyday practices, which highlight the Guedelha family, to which belonged the Rabbi-mor D. Judas Guedelha, founder of the great synagogue of Lisbon (1307).

The third exhibition room is dedicated to the forced conversion of Jews into Christians, called New Christians, from then on, and to the reports concerning Jewish practices and the impact that the inquisitorial activity had, which is the most dramatic part of the history of the Jewish community.

The Centre has a memorial of the Inquisition victims of Torres Vedras and tells the story of how the old Jewish quarter was taken over by the Christian community, to convert the synagogue into barns and erect there one of the points of the procession of Our Lord of the Stations.