The Jewish wedding rite in the Synagogue of Siena. This incredibly fascinating celebration has very ancient origins and includes moments of great visual and emotional impact as well as great symbolic value. The ceremony can be celebrated in the Synagogue of Siena, a few steps away from Piazza del Campo.
Established in 1571 by Cosimo I de’ Medici and remaining in operation until 1859, the Ghetto constituted a true city within the city, in which Jewish daily life took place for centuries.
The presence of ancient confraternities of assistance and rabbinical schools, active until the 19th century, made the Sienese Jewish Community particularly culturally vibrant and able to contribute significantly to the economic and cultural growth of the city.
Much of the area was renovated in 1935 but some areas, such as the Temple, the Ghetto Fountain and the Jewish Cemetery, are still preserved and recognisable.
The Synagogue of Siena was designed by the Florentine architect Zanobi del Rosso and inaugurated in 1786. It represents one of the few examples of architecture between Rococo and Neoclassicism in the area. The simple exterior façade and, in contrast, the elegant, richly decorated interior are exemplary of the synagogues built in Italy in the age of the ghettos, before Emancipation.
Still used today by the local Jewish community, the Synagogue houses antique silverware and ritual vestments and offers the possibility of visiting the charming old women’s gallery, currently used for temporary exhibitions and educational activities.