The Synagogue of Siena
The Synagogue in Siena, erected in 1786 where the former religious sites had been, is located in vicolo delle Scotte.
The simple façade, and, in contrast, the elegant and richly decorated interior exemplify synagogues built before the Emancipation.
The slightly rectangular hall has rows of benches at the sides while in the centre there is the platform (tevah), enriched with nine ten- branch candelabra dating from the 18th century.
The women’s gallery faces the Sacred Ark (Aròn ha-Kodesh).
In the wall behind the platform are richly decorated windows. The Tablets of Law, in white stucco painted in azure, have been placed in the centre of the ceiling. Among the objects kept there, an Elijah’s chair particularly stands out. Placed in the large entrance before the hall, it was donated to the Community in 1860 by Rabbi Nissim. On the wooden back of the chair are finely inlaid verses that recall the circumcision ceremony for which it was meant.
A small educational exhibition in Italian and English completes the visit to the Synagogue. It displays texts, images and documents of events and significant aspects of the Jewish presence in Siena which has lasted for 700 years.

The Jewish Community of Siena
The presence of Jews has been documented in Siena since the beginning of the 14th century. The banking activity carried out by the Jews thrived for more than 350 years and the licences were regularly renewed also after the opening of the Monte di Pietà (a pawnshop) in 1471.
With the 1555 Papal Bull, all the medieval provisions against Jews were made harsher. Cosimo de’ Medici, in 1571, following in the wake of the Papal Bull, ordered that also the Sienese Jews should be confined in a separate neighbourhood near Piazza del Campo, delimited by Via Salicotto and Via San Martino where Via delle Scotte, the Vicolo Luparello and Vicolo Realto meet. The Ghetto continued to be used as such until 1859. Around 1935 the renovation of the area began, even if today we still find some original parts together with the names of the streets that crossed the neighbourhood.
Opposite the Temple is the Ghetto Fountain, as it is still called today by the Sienese, set in a wall in via degli Archi.
In via Linaiolo there is the ancient Jewish Cemetery, still in use.

Information

Synagogue of Siena,
Vicolo delle Scotte 14
Opening hours
Every Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturdays and Jewish Feasts closed

Donations for the maintenance and care of the Synagogue

€ 3.00 full ticket
€ 2.50 reduced ticket for students and groups (with a minimum of 15 people)

Services available to the public
Cultural visits in Italian and English
There are educational tours for schools upon reservation.

For information and bookings
Every day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. except on Saturdays.
Sigma CSC - tel. +39 055-2346654 fax +39 055244145
itinerariebraici@cscsigma.it
Special extra openings are possible upon reservation

How to get to the Synagogue in Siena
A one-minute walk from Piazza del Campo