Synagogue of Livorno

The Synagogue of Livorno is located in the old town designed by Buontalenti, just a few meters from the Hotel Città.
The Jewish community of the city is very ancient and numerous; in Livorno, the Jews did not live in a ghetto but were perfectly integrated into the social and commercial fabric of the city. A first synagogue was built behind the Cathedral in 1603, initially it was a modest building but with the passage of centuries it was enriched and expanded to accommodate all members of the community.
After the heavy bombings that Livorno suffered during the Second World War, the building was completely destroyed.
The construction of the current Synagogue of Livorno, called the “new”, was started in 1958 and ended in 1962. The Jews of the city gathered around this symbol to regain control over their lives after the horror of racial laws and deportations. The square on which the synagogue stands is named after one of the most important rabbis and intellectuals of Livorno, Elia Benamozegh.
Today, the rooms of the Synagogue can be visited, as well as the rooms of the Oratorio Marini, which is home to the local Jewish Museum. In the museum there are some furniture and artworks that were kept in the Old Synagogue. To take part in the guided tour, is required a telephone reservation at the Secretariat of the Jewish Community of Livorno.