The Rome Jewish Ghetto is one of the Eternal City’s most interesting areas and easily one of my favorites. The Italian name Quartiere Ebraico (Hebrew District) is probably a better way to refer to it since the area is by no means (and thankfully so!) a ghetto anymore.
While it isn’t the only area of the capital where the Jewish population settled and still lives (many indeed lived and continue to live in nearby Trastevere, right on the other side of the river, for example), Rome’s Jewish Ghetto still has the most significant landmarks that testify to the presence of a large Jewish community that—despite hardship—thrived in the city.
Nowadays, the Jewish Ghetto of Rome is a pleasant place to explore and home to an incredible array of restaurants and eateries where you can savor the many delicious dishes of Roman Kosher cuisine.
It’s very easy to reach from the historic center of Rome. In fact, you’ll find it between Piazza Venezia, where the Altar of the Fatherland is located, and the beautiful Teatro Marcello.
In other words, you really should not miss the chance to visit when you are in Rome! Curious to find out more about it? Please continue reading to discover the history of Rome’s Jewish Ghetto and its many exciting attractions.
For more unusual places to visit in Rome, read my post, The Best Hidden Gems In Rome.
Where Is The Jewish Quarter In Rome?
The Rome Jewish Ghetto is located on the banks of the River Tiber. The wall ran from Ponte Fabricio to the Portico d’Ottavia, then followed the route of the present-day Via del Portico d’Ottavia.
The wall cut through Piazza Giudea and then ran along today’s Via del Progresso back down to the river. Across the river from the previous location of the south wall of Rome’s Ghetto is the Isola Tiberina (Tiber Island).
The History Of The Jewish Ghetto, Rome
What is the Jewish Ghetto in Rome?
It may be surprising to learn that Rome’s Jewish community is considered one of the oldest outside of the Middle East. There’s been a Jewish presence in Rome since antiquity, and the first record of its existence is in 161 BC.
However, the Roman Ghetto wasn’t established until many years later. It resulted from a papal decree issued by Pope Paul IV on 14 July 1555.
In short, this decree meant that the Jewish community in Rome would have all of their rights revoked. They were to be restricted economically, religiously, and personally. This anti-Jewish legislation established the Roman Quarter.
It required that the Jews of Rome, who had lived in the city for longer than Christianity had ever existed, be restricted to a particular area of the city: the Rome Jewish Quarter.
The Jewish Quarter was walled and originally had three gates—all locked at night. Italian architect Giovanni Sallustio Peruzzi built it, but the Jewish community was left to pay the cost, which amounted to 300 Roman scudi (the currency at the time).
Due to the setting of the Ghetto along the banks of the Tiber, it was constantly flooding. In total, the land covered just three hectares. By the late 1580s, during the time of Pope Sixtus V, it was reported that around 3,500 people were living in the district. Conditions were extremely cramped.
At this time, under the Papal decree, the Jewish community was subject to various rules, including how they should dress. Men had to wear a pointed yellow hat; women had to wear a yellow handkerchief.
They also had to attend special Catholic sermons on the Shabbat, the Jewish holy day. Jewish people were also banned from owning property and could not work skilled jobs.
Daily life in the Ghetto was marked by poverty. To further add insult to injury, Jewish people had to pay a yearly tax to live in it and furthermore had to ask each year for permission to live there.
Over the years, the Ghetto started to change. For one thing, more gates were added and were enlarged. And with more additions to the community (people had children, after all), it grew. But because they couldn’t build outside the walls, they built upwards.
This meant it was difficult for sunlight to reach the dim, narrow lanes of the area. Unhygienic conditions and the concentration of people led to disease; cholera and malaria were endemic to the Ghetto.
In the plague of 1656, 800 of the Ghetto’s inhabitants died—almost a quarter of the population.
During the Napoleonic rule of Rome, the Catholic order underwent a major upheaval. This upheaval determined that all citizens were equal under the law.
When Napoleon’s troops arrived in Rome, they were appointed to specifically demolish the old Ghetto walls in a show of power against the Catholic Church. In 1798, the Papal States were replaced with the Roman Republic, and the Papal decree 1555 was annulled.
Sadly, however, the Papal States were restored only the following year, and the Ghetto was reestablished. The restrictions on the lives of Jewish people in Rome returned. In the 19th century, things started to change.
Amongst other things, Jewish people were permitted to live outside of the Ghetto by Pope Pius IX in 1848, and the tax on Jewish people was abolished in 1850.
It was not until the Papal States were replaced by the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 that restrictions on Jewish people’s lives ended. The Ghetto walls were torn down in 1888, and the Ghetto itself was almost completely destroyed. In 1904, the Great Synagogue of Rome was built, and apartment buildings were also constructed.
The Roman Ghetto was actually the last of Europe’s remaining ghettos—that is, until Nazi Germany reinstated them in the 1930s. As for Rome’s Ghetto, it returned in 1943. The Nazi German authorities sealed off the historic area of the Ghetto and detained a vast swathe of Rome’s Jewish community inside it.
At least 1,000 of the prisoners here were sent off at Tiburtina Station on a Holocaust train to Auschwitz; only 16 survived. Over the next year, Jewish people in Rome essentially lived in hiding until the city was liberated by Allied forces on 4th June 1944.
The neighborhood was initially called the “Jewish Quarter” in the 16th century. It’s believed the name “Quarter” came from the Hebrew word “qahal,” which describes a meeting place or a place to be together. Later on, people started referring to the neighborhood as the “Jewish Ghetto.” Nowadays, the terms Jewish Ghetto and Jewish Quarter are used interchangeably. It’s also worth noting that the term “Jewish Ghetto” is by no means insulting. In fact, locals, Italians, and the Jewish community all refer to the neighborhood as the Jewish Ghetto.
What To Do In The Jewish Ghetto, Rome
Join a guided walking tour
The Jewish Ghetto is a relatively small area in Rome terms, and while you can certainly explore it independently (I have done that many times myself!), having a guide will help you put what you see in perspective and give it significance.
If you decide to do a self-guided walking tour, I recommend starting at Ponte Fabricio (the bridge that connects Tiber Island with the Jewish Ghetto). From here, you can walk the length of the former ghetto and explore independently.
However, I recommend looking into a professional guided tour of the neighborhood. The history is complex, sensitive, and impressive, and it’s worth learning more about it while exploring.
One of the best tours of the Jewish Ghetto is a walking tour with a local guide. My sister and I took one the last time we were in the area, and we were positively impressed. I recommend this Rome: Jewish Ghetto Walking Tour. The tour begins in the city center, and you’ll walk to the Jewish Ghetto, learning about other monuments along the way. You’ll get a guided experience of the Jewish Ghetto and Tiber Island, learning more about the complex history and intricacies.
Marvel at the Great Synagogue
The Great Synagogue, also called Tempio Maggiore di Roma in Italian, is the largest of its kind in Rome and the best thing to see in Rome’s Jewish Quarter. It is situated on the site of a smaller synagogue that once lay inside the Ghetto walls. Construction began on this sizeable structure in 1901 and was completed in 1904.
It’s an impressive building with a square dome, culminating in an eclectic mix of architectural styles: Assyrian-Babylonian, Egyptian, and Greco-Roman. These different styles make it stand out from other historic buildings in the area.
The synagogue displays commemorative plaques to honor the Jewish victims of Nazi Germany, as well as a Palestinian attack in 1982.
Visit the Jewish Museum of Rome
Opened in 1960, the Jewish Museum of Rome offers an insight into Rome’s Jewish community, from its ancient roots to the modern day. It’s located in the basement of the Great Synagogue and is divided into seven rooms.
On display are some different exciting items, including parchments, silverware, textiles, and carvings.
It is the perfect place to begin your journey around this historic neighborhood, as it offers some important context to the district—not least its creation.
Learn the history of Largo 16 Ottobre 1943
This square is named after the raid by the Gestapo (Nazi secret police) on the Jewish Ghetto in Rome, which took place on the 16th October 1943.
One sad story goes that the Jewish community would be spared if they gave the Nazis 50 kilograms of gold within 24 hours. Though they were able to come up with the correct amount, members of the Jewish community were nevertheless rounded up and sent to concentration camps. There’s a plaque commemorating the raid on the street.
Marvel at the Portico di Ottavia
Overlooking the history of the Jewish Ghetto is the Portico di Ottavia, the ruins of an ancient Roman gate built in 27 BC by the orders of Emperor Augustus. It is named after his sister, Octavia the Younger. Beyond the gates were once temples dedicated to Juno and Jupiter, who are also involved in many Roman myths and legends, along with a library.
Later, this area was used as a fish market from the Middle Ages up to the 19th century. It is located between the Theatre of Marcellus and the Great Synagogue.
Check out Via del Portico d’Ottavia
This is the main road in the Jewish Ghetto, and it is actually where one of the old walls ran. It tells the history of this district. On one side, you’ll see newer buildings, while on the other, you’ll see some of the only buildings of the former Ghetto that are still standing.
Here, there are kosher shops and an abundance of restaurants. If you want to go and find somewhere to eat, this is the place to go.
Admire the Teatro di Marcello
The Theater of Marcellus was very similar to the Colosseum. Though Julius Caesar started it, Augustus completed it in 13 BC and named it after his nephew. Because of its similarity to the Colosseum, it is sometimes called the “Jewish Colosseum.”
It was an open-air theatre that could hold up to 20,000 people for various performances and events (usually poetry readings, musical recitals, pantomime, and plays). The emporer also used the theater to address the population.
The most famous performances at Teatro di Marcello were in 17 BC, before its official inauguration when secular games were held here. Secular games were hosted irregularly throughout Rome to welcome a new era or generation. It was a multi-day celebration with rituals and games honoring the gods.
Today, it still stands in Sant’Angelo, just a stone’s throw from the Jewish Ghetto, and hosts various shows in the summer months. During the day, you can also explore the archeological zone on the outside of the theater.
Take a look at the Turtle Fountain
Called the Fontana delle Tartarughe in Italian, the Turtle Fountain is in Piazza Mattei, just a stone’s throw from the Ghetto. This bronze masterpiece should not be missed. It was built between 1580 and 88 and is the work of Bernini—or at least, the turtles are.
One of the original turtles was stolen in the 1970s, so sadly, the one you see now is a replica of the centuries-old turtle that was once here.
Check out my posts Where To See The Works Of Bernini In Rome, and The Most Beautiful Fountains In Rome, for more background information about Bernini and other fountains to see while walking around Rome.
Spot the Pietre d’Inciampo
The Pietre d’Inciampo may be better known as the Tripping Stones. These small brass plaques almost blend in among the Ghetto’s cobblestone streets, but take a closer look.
These are the works of German artist Gunther Demnig, who created these plaques in 1995 to commemorate the Jewish victims of persecution during World War II. They’re part of a larger Europe-wide network of 20,000 stones.
The other stones can be found across Germany, Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Ukraine, the Netherlands, and other parts of Italy.
Go to Kiryat Sefer Libreria Ebraica
This bookstore is important for the Jewish community not only in Rome but the entire country, as it is the only Jewish bookstore in Italy. Translating to the “World of Books,” it’s at Kiryat Sefer that you can find several different publications on history, faith, philosophy, and even novels.
It’s located next to the Synagogue and alongside the Jewish Culture Center. The bookstore has many books, including prayer books for weekdays, Shabbat, and other Jewish holidays. You’ll also find fiction books from Italian, Jewish, and international authors.
There are Jewish books on history, philosophy, and even cookbooks (in both Italian and English).
It’s a really interesting collection of books, and the building itself is still significant, so it’s an excellent place to visit in the Jewish Ghetto in Rome.
Have a drink at Bar Toto
This historic watering hole serves up aperitivos and espressos on terrace tables. You can also grab a good snack here (the sandwiches are good), while they also serve up gelato and freshly squeezed orange juice.
Situated across the street from a Jewish school, the old bar is famed for its crumbling facade. Make sure to take note of the small donation box built into the wall outside; it’s a Ghetto-era charity collection box for orphans that is still in use today.
Have lunch at Giardino Romano
Giardino Romano, situated inside an elegantly restored 16th-century palace, is an idyllic spot to spend an hour or two while exploring the Jewish Ghetto and one of the best Jewish Ghetto restaurants Rome.
The menu features a line-up of Judeo-Roman specialties, including tripe, fried artichokes (the famous carciofi alla giudia), lamb, and oxtail. You can sit either in the ambiance of the rear garden or soak up the atmosphere of Via Portico d’Ottavia at its terrace seating.
Join a Rome Jewish Ghetto food tour
Amidst the challenges of segregation, the flavors of Jewish cuisine blossomed to tell a tale of history and community. While the walls have gone down, the Jewish Ghetto still boasts an array of unique cuisines, restaurants, and flavors that all reflect the past and culture.
You’ll notice this right away when exploring the Jewish Ghetto. While in the historic center, you’ll smell dough and fresh pizza on every corner. But in the Jewish Ghetto, you’ll find an abundance of artichoke dishes, Roman Jewish cookies, and so many more unique smells.
One of the best ways to sample the fantastic food in the historical center and the Jewish Ghetto is to join a food tour that passes through both neighborhoods. A food tour will help you find all the best places to eat in Jewish Ghetto Rome, while explaining more about the history and cuisine.
For the best walking food tour of the Jewish Ghetto, I recommend this Local Rome Food Tour: Jewish Quarter & Historic Center. On this tour, you’ll sample pizza scrocchiarella romana and supplì, the famous carciofi alla giudia, and traditional Roman Jewish cookies from Pasticceria Boccione (a historical Jewish bakery in Rome). In total, you’ll enjoy eight different tastings across seven small, local businesses and three drinks.
Walk Ponte Fabricio to Tiber Island
Ponte Fabricio is the oldest bridge in Italy. It connects Tiber Island to the Jewish Quarter Rome. The bridge is short, but it’s been there for so long, through so much Roman and Italian history, that it feels like you’re standing on something really important.
This bridge connects the Ghetto to Tiber Island, which I briefly discussed earlier. It’s not a part of the Jewish Quarter, but it’s very easy to get there from your Jewish Ghetto tour. It’s definitely worth branching out onto the island while spending a day in this part of Rome, Italy.
If you’re planning on exploring more of Tiber Island, make sure to read my post, A Short Guide To Tiber Island. The guide details other things to do, places to go, and more history.
How To Get To The Jewish Ghetto, Rome
The Jewish Ghetto is in Rome’s historic center, specifically in Rione Sant’Angelo. This makes it relatively easy to get there on foot. The district is also small enough to explore on foot due to its network of small cobbled lanes.
For walking reference, the Jewish Ghetto is approximately 1.5 km (1 mile) from the Roman Forum, 1.7 km (1.05 miles) from the Pantheon, and 3.5 km (2.2 miles) from Trevi Fountain. So, honestly, you’ll likely be walking near the Jewish Ghetto while exploring Rome.
Bus lines 30, 46, and 64 (among others) can be used to reach the Ghetto. For example, to get there from Rome Termini station, you can take bus line 70 and get off at Largo Torre Argentina. The nearest tram stop is Arenula/Min. Giustizia.
Hotels Near Jewish Ghetto Rome
Rome’s Jewish Quarter is technically within the historic city center. It’s a short walk from many of Rome’s most popular attractions, so staying near the Jewish Ghetto is actually very convenient.
If you’d like to be within walking distance of the Jewish Quarter and much of the best of Rome, these are some of my top recommendations for hotels in the Jewish Quarter Rome:
- HT6 Hotel Roma—This luxurious hotel is the best and most exclusive in the Roman Jewish Quarter. It is only 50 meters (165 feet) from the Synagogue and within walking distance of all the best things to see in Rome’s Jewish Ghetto. The hotel, which is in a historical building, is also charming, with new decor and spacious rooms.
- Otivm Hotel—This is a more affordable luxury hotel near the Jewish Ghetto. It’s only about 500 meters (1,500 feet) from the Jewish Quarter and within walking distance of many main attractions. The hotel also has a continental breakfast, a beautiful terrace, and comfortable rooms.
- Hotel Primavera—This is one of the most budget-friendly hotels near the Roman Ghetto. The hotel is about .6 km (.3 miles) from the Jewish Ghetto and an even shorter walk from Piazza Navona and Campo de Fiori. The rooms are simple and small but clean and well-decorated. The hotel also has an excellent breakfast buffet.
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