Synagogue of Transito

The Tránsito Synagogue

The Toledo audio-guided tour presents you with the Tránsito Synagogue, a jewel of the former juderia whose sober façade hides an interior of great richness.

A witness of the Toledo of the three cultures

Built in 1357 in the heart of the juderia, the Jewish quarter of Toledo, the Tránsito Synagogue conceals, behind a modest façade, coffered ceilings and finely sculpted Mudéjar decorations. At the time, the quarter had about ten synagogues and it was forbidden to build new ones; but this one, commissioned by the treasurer of King Peter I of Castile, benefited from privileges. More than a century later, in 1492, the Catholic Monarchs expelled the Jewish population from the Iberian peninsula: about one hundred thousand Sephardic Jews had to go into exile, a painful page of history that should be evoked with gravity. The synagogue today houses the Sephardic museum, dedicated to this memory.

What there is to see

The Tránsito Synagogue invites contemplation through the richness of its coffered ceilings and its Mudéjar decors, in contrast with its bare façade. The Sephardic museum it houses sheds light on the history and memory of the Jewish community of Toledo. It is a place of great beauty and great memorial significance, to be discovered with respect.

Practical information

The Tránsito Synagogue is in the former juderia of Toledo. It houses the Sephardic museum, which can be visited according to hours to be checked on site; access is generally subject to a charge, with respect for the place.

When was the Tránsito Synagogue built?

In 1357, in the heart of the juderia, commissioned by the treasurer of King Peter I of Castile.

What does the Tránsito Synagogue house today?

The Sephardic museum, dedicated to the history and memory of the Jewish community of Toledo and the Iberian peninsula.