La Giudecca District

The settlement of a Jewish community in Bertinoro dates back to the late 14th century. A contract from 1419 mentions a house owned by Leo the Jew located between today’s Via Mainardi and Via Fossato. The layout of the building, datable to the mid-15th century and located in the centre of Giudecca, is made of brick and stone ashlars. On the front, the areas used for family housing are still legible.

On the eastern side, at the corner of Via Fossato and Via Mainardi, terracotta tiles reproducing cornucopia and Ner Tamid lamp motifs are visible.

It is assumed that the synagogue of the Jewish community was built on this side of the building. Ovadyah Yare, one of the greatest commentators on the Mishnah, was born here in the mid-15th century, also known today as “Bertinoro”.

Walking down from Piazza della Libertà, the path enters the medieval borgo dei Mainardi and at the corner of Via Fossato, the Giudecca palace opens up and from there the entire district. As always in Bertinoro, its stones tell their story. It is necessary to observe them in order to understand the stories they tell. As symbolic creatures, we live in a forest of landmarks and on the large building above us, one notices some terracotta bricks glancing at us.

Embossed on them are effigies of rich cornucopias. In some others, the cornucopias spring from small oil lamps. These signs indicated to the Jews of Bertinoro there was the aron a-qodesh, the sacred cupboard that held the Sefer Torah.