Description of the attraction
The synagogue building in Avignon has survived to this day in the reconstruction of 1846. The synagogue had to be restored after a fire in 1845, in which many valuable items were lost, including 42 Torah scrolls.
The synagogue has stood at its present location in Avignon since 1221, where it was moved by order of the city's bishop. In the second half of the 18th century, a new building was built for it (the one that was later destroyed by fire). After the reconstruction, the synagogue acquired a neoclassical appearance.
The first written mention of the Avignon Jews dates back to 1178. Under Louis XIII, a new Jewish quarter appeared in the city. Until the middle of the 15th century, the Christian population believed that the Jews made a great contribution to the trade and economic development of the city and therefore even demanded a more lenient attitude towards them. However, in the second half of the century, the opinion of the townspeople about the Jews changed: the Italian wars and the move of the papal residence to Rome, as well as the plague epidemic, changed the life of the Avignon people for the worse, and now they believed that all these troubles were brought on by the Jews. By the decree of Pope Pius II, a number of restrictions on trade and some other activities were introduced for the Jews. The persecution continued until the Jews were expelled from the territory of the papal possessions in Italy and France. Christians were also banned from communicating with Jews. Only at the end of the 18th century were few Jews allowed to settle in Avignon. Their activities were limited to the Jewish quarter, the study of the Talmud was prohibited, and Catholic priests delivered sermons in the synagogue. The Great French Revolution of 1789 equalized the rights of the Jews with the rest of the citizens of the country.
There are memorial plaques in the synagogue in memory of those Avignon Jews who died during the First and Second World Wars.
In addition to the synagogue, Avignon is also home to several Jewish public organizations and educational institutions.
