Jewish courtyard, Medieval Jewish heritage site in Speyer, Germany.
The Jewish courtyard is an archaeological site in Speyer that contains remains of medieval buildings made of sandstone and brick. The preserved elements show the foundations of a synagogue, a women's prayer room, and a ritual bath that were built between the 11th and 13th centuries.
Speyer's Jewish community was founded in 1084 when the bishop offered protection to refugees fleeing persecution in nearby Mainz. The settlement flourished for several centuries until the community was destroyed during medieval persecutions.
The courtyard served as the center of Speyer's Jewish community for centuries and continues to shape our understanding of Ashkenazi traditions. Visitors can see how the different buildings were arranged around a central space and what role this location played in everyday life.
The site is located near the Cathedral and can be reached on foot from the town center, with the remains partly protected under glass. The SchPIRA Museum just nearby displays finds that help visitors understand the history of the place.
The ritual bath from 1126 is the oldest documented one in Europe and displays finely carved Romanesque stonework visible to visitors today. This construction demonstrates how sophisticated and skilled the architectural techniques of that era were.
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