The Ancient Jewish Ghetto

Venice's Jewish ghetto, the first in Europe, was established in 1516 by the will of the Most Serene Republic, and is located in the Cannaregio district, near the Ponte delle Guglie. The isolation of the Jewish community in Venice lasted until 1797, the year of the fall of the Republic and the settlement of Napoleon, who opened the ghetto's doors.

The name ghetto comes from the word 'gettare', which means to throw/fuse metals; the foundries present in that area of town must have given the ghetto its name. This name became common even outside of Venice. The Campo del Ghetto Novo is still the area's centre, as well as some of the synagogues, such as the Levantina and Spagnola.

The Jewish Museum of Venice  is not only a physical space nestled in the campo, but also a widespread museum: a unique architectural space to be discovered.

www.museoebraico.it