Located to the south of the old walled city, the Jewish quarter of León is currently identified with part of the famous Barrio Húmedo (Wet District), known for its narrow streets with medieval overtones and its wines and gastronomic delights, making any tour around them a unique opportunity to get to know one of the most charming areas in the city. Formed in the late 12th century, the aljama of León is the heir of the previous settlement of Puente Castro, destroyed during the war against Castile and Aragón and, at present, after having already formed part of the urban fabric of the city, under archaeological recovery. Two very different enclaves for one sole genealogical tree, rooted in this territory since at least the 10th century and of which, for the time being, only that part corresponding to León old town can be visited.

856
Ordoño I conquers Leon

circa 900 - July 27th, 1196
The Jewish quarter of Puente Castro

The Jewish quarter of Puente Castro seen from the bridge. © León City Council

The Jewish quarter of Puente Castro was the oldest and most important in the city of León. Known by the place name of Castrum Iudeorum, its first Jewish inhabitants must have settled here in the 10th century and the maximum expansion of the Jewish quarter must have been between the late 11th century and the early 12th century. Although León and Puente Castro were separated by a certain distance and by the River Torío, they formed a complementary unit. Self-evidently, the city of León was the capital of the kingdom of the same name whilst Castrum Iudeorum was of all the Jewish quarters of this territory.

The settlement was on the south slope of the Mota hill and it ended in a hill-fort with a fort; a small, defensive fortification. This medieval hill-fort was built in another Roman one which, in turn, must almost certainly have been erected on one of Asturian origin.

The excavations in the La Candamia area in the Jewish enclave of the Hill-fort in the heights of the Mota have allowed the reconstruction of the layout of the two-metre wide clay and adobe wall which surrounded the settlement before 1196. On July 23rd the Jews were attacked by the followers of Alfonso VIII of Castile and Pedro II of Aragón and they put up brave resistance until 25th when the fortress was taken and the Jewish quarter was sacked. On July 27th those Jews who hadn´t taken flight ort died were enslaved.

Once the aljama of Puente Castro had been destroyed, the Jewish population settled in León in the district inside the walls of Santa Ana. And in the city of León the Jews prospered between the 13th and 15th centuries in the fields of commerce, craftsmanship and even agriculture until the late 13th century, but their population never became as large or important again. The destruction of Castro de los Judios was so complete that it was virtually uninhabited until the 15th century.

The archaeological site allows us to find out some aspects of how the Jewish communities lived from the 11th to the 12th centuries. These aspects would be hard to document anywhere else in the Iberian Peninsula. What´s more, it is a settlement which can easily be excavated in its entirety as it is almost wholly free of more modern houses or other obstacles. Castro Iudeorum, in this regard, can be classed as unicum as regards its integrity and study possibilities.

circa 1000
Church of St. Martín

Church of St. Martín. Exterior. © León City Council

Alongside the Old Town Hall is Plegaria Street leading to Church of St. Martín whose current image is the upshot of different remodelling work in the 12th, 14th and, in particular, 18th centuries, on the original Romanesque temple from the 11th century. Worthy of note in its structure are the Gothic apse and the odd chapel of the Ánimas, backing onto the temple. Following the rout via Platerías, Cardiles and La Paloma, the medieval layout of narrow streets in the old town opens up onto the spacious Ancha street, one of the prime, oldest thoroughfares in the city which leads between guards and all kinds of businesses to the cathedral square.

1097
Mar Selomó stele

Funeral stele of Mar Selomó. © Museo de León

Found in 1982, during the works to widen the León-Valladolid highway, the Mar Selomó stele is a rectangular piece with a trapezoidal structure and the inscription side is smooth, comprising 16 lines of text. Its dimensions are 380 mm high, 297/304 mm wide and 40/65 mm thick.

The first letter is 14 mm high. Its writing is square with some characters written in italics, slope of horizontal lines.

However, its elegant, uniform layout has some stuttering in its design. One of its peculiar aspects is the preservation of abundant remains of red coloration in the interior of the letters of four lower lines of the text.

The text mentions Selomó bar David ben Parnaj, who died at the age of forty on Wednesday ab 3rd 4857, corresponding to July 15th 1097.

Esta es la sepultura de mar Selomó bar
mar David ben Parnaj fallecido
a la edad de cuarenta años el miércoles
día 3 del mes de ab, año
cuatro mil ochocientos
cincuenta y siete de la Creación
del mundo según el cómputo de la ciudad de León el Santo
lbendito sea
le levante y le despierte a la vida del mundo
venidero y le otorgue su parte con los justos
y cumpla en él el pasaje bíblico donde está escrito
Revivirán tus muertos, mis cadáveres se levantarán
despertad y exultad, los que yacen en el polvo, pues
rocío de luz es tu rocío y la tierra
muertos parirá, mas tú ve
al fin y descansa y te levantarás para tu suerte
al fin de los días

This stele is regarded as the best epigraphic piece from León discovered to date of the twelve catalogued in León.

1196 - 1492
The Jewish quarter of León

The Jewish quarter of León. © León City Council

In 1196 Puente Castro was flattened and its aljama moved to León, delimited by the current Plaza Mayor (Main Square), Santa Ana and Grano. This spot saw the settlement of the majority of the Jewish community during the 13th to the 15th centuries. The densest nucleus was concentrated on the current streets of Juan de Arfe, St. Martín´s Square, Mulhacín, Cuesta Castañón and Santa Cruz. The synagogue was situated in the current Misericordia Street which was the backbone of the district.

The original names of the streets of the Jewish quarter, Cal de Moros, Cal Silvana etc. were replaced centuries ago with Misericordia, Santa Cruz etc. At present, the traces of the Jewish presence in León are being recovered: the remains of medieval constructions in the old aljama, wineries, courtyards and passageways. The Jews of León carried out the most varied professional activities under the protection of the Charter of León (1017-1020) which granted very similar rights to Jews and Christians.

However, as from the 15th century, various ordinances were decreed limiting the rights of the Jewish people. This included the ruling by the Courts of Toledo which in 1480 required the strict separation of the Jewish and Christian communities. This all led to a gradual fall in the Jewish population of León. In 1492 the Catholic Monarchs signed the decree of expulsion of the Jews, bringing to an end centuries of cohabitation. May decided to convert, but for a long time they felt threatened as they were suspected of judaizing.

1205 - 1302
Cathedral

Cathedral façade. © León City Council

Known all around the world for its splendid stained glass, the cathedral of León was built between the 13th and 15th centuries on two previous temples, with the latter in turn, erected on the former royal palace and the Roman spa baths of Legio VII. The episcopate of Fruminio II saw the construction of what was regarded as the first Spanish catedral in the 10th century, erected on the royal palace granted by Ordoño II to the church after his victory in the battle of San Esteban de Gormaz. King Fernando I of Castile, with whom the remains of San Isidoro came to León, promoted the construction of a second catedral on the foundations of the previous one which in the second half of the 11th century was a in a very poor state of repair; the new cathedral was consecrated on November 10th 1073 and remained standing until the end of the subsequent century. The construction of a third cathedral, promoted in this case by the last King of León, Alfonso IX, began in around 1205, having been completed nearly at the end of the 15th century.

The basis for this story, the Pulchra Leonina, regarded in the 15th century as one of the four major Spanish cathedrals (along with Sancta Ovetensis, Dives Toledana and Fortis Salmantina), today represents a prime example of French-influenced Gothic with an imposing main façade, overlooking the square, whose five 13th century archest stand out, the large central rose window and the profusion of pinnacles between the beautiful Gothic towers, 64 and 68 metres high, respectively. Inside, with a layout which proportionally repeats that of the Reims cathedral, we are overawed by the magic illumination of its 1,800 square metres of stained glass. Here you can admire the main retable with a silver chest containing the remains of St. Froilan, the patron saint of the diocese; the magnificent walnut chancel or the doors opening out into the cloister.

circa 1240 - 1305
Moses of León

Moses ben Sem Tob de León was born in 1240 and died in 1305. He was a rabbi and philosopher and the author of the Book of Splendour, a central work of the Kabbalah.

Since his youth he was interested in philosophy and at the tender age of 24, whilst still following his religious studies, he received a copy of the Guide of the perplexed by Maimonides. From that time he started to get interested in the Kabbalah and devoted several years of his life to getting in touch with Kabbalists from all over the Crown of Castile, even striking up a friendship with a now very old Nahmanides, and spreading the Kabbalist doctrine in view of the increase in the rationalist influence of Judaism.

In Guadalajara, he carries out around twenty four documents about the Kabbalah and in 1286 he had already completed the majority of the Zohar, including a different version of the Midrash. Although to write the Zohar he said he had been guided by old manuscripts by the mystic Simeón Ben Yojai (2nd century), this could never be demonstrated as at that time it was very common between Jewish writers to attribute their books to classical authors.

circa 1296 - September 14th, 1495
Former synagogue

The faithful at the synagogue. The Haggadah of Barcelona

The synagogue of León had been situated in Santa Cruz street and some have said it was located in Fernández Cadórniga street. Justiniano Rodríguez Fernández in his work The Jewish quarter in the city of León rebuffed these opinions and demonstrated that in 1344 (and perhaps seventy year before) the Jewish Synagogue adjoined houses which looked out onto the street which went from Cal de Moros (the present Misericordia street) to Misteo.The Chapter Acts of the cathedral of León prove that in January 1423 the Chapterhouse was managing the exchange of its houses with other which the scribe Alonso Fernández owned in Cal de Moros where the Jews had the synagogue.

The Jewish synagogue was situated at Cal de Moros and it remained there on October 27th 1375 according to a document with this date which mentions the Jewish house of prayer which is near the Puerta de Cal de Moros (Moor Street Gate).

After the expulsion, the synagogue was donated by way of a document dated September 14th 1495 by the Catholic Monarchs to the monastery of Sant Esidro and its abbey and must have been converted into the Santo Cristo hermitage.

from 1320
It is believed the Jews are poisoning the water

In around 1320 the belief began to gain credence throughout the Hispanic kingdoms that the Jews were poisoning the water and profaning hosts, accusations which started to become relevant during the years of the Black death which swept through Europe between 1328 and 1350. These rumours started to fragment the already unstable cohabitation between Jews and Christians in kingdoms like those of León and Castile where there were popular attacks against the Jewish quarters. .

1344
First mention of the Leon synagogue in calle Misericordia

Justiniano Rodríguez Fernández in his work The Jewish quarter in the city of León rebuffed these opinions and demonstrated that in 1344 (and perhaps seventy year before) the Jewish Synagogue adjoined houses which looked out onto the street which went from Cal de Moros (the present Misericordia street) to Misteo.

October 27th, 1375
Second mention of the Leon synagogue in Misericordia Street

The Jewish synagogue was situated at Cal de Moros and it remained there on October 27th 1375 according to a document with this date which mentions the Jewish house of prayer which is near the Puerta de Cal de Moros (Moor Street Gate).

January1423
Third mention of the Leon synagogue in Misericordia Street

The Chapter Acts of the cathedral of León prove that in January 1423 the Chapterhouse was managing the exchange of its houses with other which the scribe Alonso Fernández owned in Cal de Moros where the Jews had the synagogue.

circa 1451
Jews at the cathedral ambulatory

Fresco portraying Jews in the cathedral ambulatory. © León City Council

The head of the cathedral of León is endowed with a polygonal ambulatory onto which five chapels open out where we can find the splendid mural paintings of master Nicolás Francés which portray a group of Jews, wearing 15th century attire. These paintings are undoubtedly one of the cathedral´s curiosities, but they also constitute a perfect illustration of the last stretch of the Jewish presence in León. Having seen their rights seriously limited as from the 14th century, the sacking of the Jewish quarter by the Quiñones and the Lorenzana in 1449 meant the beginning of the end for a history which, nevertheless, would earn a sequel, with the numerous proceedings involving New Christians from León accused of Judaizing in secret after 1492.

September 14th, 1495
Donation of the synagogue to the Monastery of San Isidro

After the expulsion, the synagogue was donated by way of a document dated September 14th 1495 by the Catholic Monarchs to the monastery of Sant Esidro and its abbey and must have been converted into the Santo Cristo hermitage.

1577
Casa de las Carnicerías

Casa de las Carnicerías (House of the Butchers). © León City Council

At St. Martín´s Square is the Casa de las Carnicerías (House of the Butchers), a building which was put up so as to supply the city with meat. Its architect was Juan de Ribero Rada and the works commenced in 1577.

A classical Renaissance work, it had multiple purposes: corn exchange, fishmonger´s, women´s jail and, later, tenement house. It was finally acquired by a bank entity and submitted to serious restoration work with a view to recovering its façade and giving it back its original design.

1672 - 1677
Main square

Market in the Main square. © León City Council

The narrow Matasiete streets leads from St. Martín´s Square to Plaza Mayor (main square). Presided over by the Balcón del Pueblo (People´s balcony) or Consistorio Viejo (Old Town Hall), a narrow municipal palace erected between 1672 and 1677 as a balcony for the authorities, the main square in León was built in the 17th century in two stages, with the first (until 1672) being the work of Father Antonio Ambrosio and the second (until 1677) the work of Francisco del Piñal. The square occupies part of the set of houses devastated by a fire and which in the Middle Ages were also part of the Jewish quarter. It is here that the weekly was held which, with different variants over time, has not been interrupted for ten centuries. A bullring, the setting for feasts, demonstrations and various shows or the site of executions, its was originally called Pan square and currently shares the designation «Mayor» (main square) with the homage to the Spanish Constitution.

1956
Discovery of the Jewish cemetery of Puente Castro

In June 1983 an urgent excavation was carried out at the Jewish cemetery of Puente Castro after the destruction of part of the cemetery brought about by the works on the road between León and Valladolid which was built in the area. The necropolis, which had already been partially excavated in 1956, had been Split in two by the road, leaving part of the cemetery alongside the houses of Puente Castro and the other part on the opposite side of the road.

1982
Discovery of the stele of mar Selomó

Found in 1982, during the works to widen the León-Valladolid highway, the Mar Selomó stele is a rectangular piece with a trapezoidal structure and the inscription side is smooth, comprising 16 lines of text. Its dimensions are 380 mm high, 297/304 mm wide and 40/65 mm thick.

June1997
Monolith in memory of the Jews

Monolith in memory of the Jews. © León City Council

In June 1997 a monolith was inaugurated in a gardened site which received the name of Aljama in memory of the Jews who had inhabited Puente Castro until 1196, the year in which the Jewish quarter was devastated by the armies of the Castilian king Alfonso VIII and the Araginese monarch Pedro II. The then mayor of León and the Israeli writer of Leonese Jewish ascendancy Margalit Matitiahu, presided over the act in memory of those who had to leave the city. On one side the date of the physical destruction of the aljama 1197) and of the construction of the monument (1997) were recorded and the inscription ‘Castro Bridge for the Jewish People´. On the opposite side some verses by Margalit written in mixed languages were provided:

Estonses, muestros nombres
se van a grabar en los caminos del secreto
y van a abrir las puertas de unión.

2011
The Leon Jewish Interpretation Center is opened

Interior of the Interpretation Centre for Jewish León. © León City Council

The Interpretation Centre for Jewish León and the Pilgrim Reception Centre in the Leonese capital is located at the former church of St. Peter´s in Puente Castro.

The proximity of said church to the significant archaeological site of Castro de los Judíos on the Mota Hill in the Puente Castro district as well as its relation both with the Roman presence owing to an equally notable closeness to the Ad Legionem VII Geminan site discovered in the district itself, and with the medieval Christian world represented by St. James´ Way in its passage by the same gate of San Pedro Apóstol, have defined an approach based on three blocks of well-defined contents. The Roman, Jewish and Christian world at different times of History seek to provide the visitor with an extensive overview adapted to the space and need to make his use versatile of the historic wealth of León and the uniqueness of some of its personalities.

At the Centro visitors are told what the old Castro de los Judíos de Puente Castro was like and what objects and materials have been found in the archaeological excavations currently in progress in a space where, in medieval times, over a thousand people resided.

Glossary