La Piccola Gerusalemme, Ghetto Ebraico — Attraction in Unione di Comuni Montani Colline del Fiora

Fabulous museum from the ghetto starting back to 1555 where the village of Pitigliano nicknamed "the small Jerusalem" was a place of refuge for the Jewish community, seeking to flee the city of Rome so as not to be subject to Catholic authority.

The ghetto as such was formed at the beginning of the 17th Century which the Medici dynasty took command of the city and restricted Jewish mobility. Yet still the community was well integrated and respected, collaborating in the economic, social and cultural fabric of the town. Prior to the 2nd World War, the community was numerous and active. Throughout the 19th Century when there was greater freedom of movement, many members of the community left Pitigliano for the more economically attractive cities of Rome, Florence, Lucca or Livorno. By 1938, however, after Nazi racial laws took effect only 60 members of the community remained, many escaping capture thanks to their neighbors, but forced to hide with farming families in the valley. A plaque in the Ghetto commemorates the 22 Jews born in Pitigliano who were killed in concentration camps. The town of Pitigliano sided strongly against deportation and in 2002 the Yad Vashem Institute in Jerusalem, the honor of the "Righteous Among the Nations" was conferred to some Pitigliano families for their attempt to save their fellow citizens. The Synagogue was built in 1598 and following a landslide rebuilt in 1995 by the town.

This visit include the synagogue (restored in 1995), Cultural center, ritual bathhouse, wine cellar, bakery, dye-works, all of which are dug into the native tufa stone, as well as the the fairly non-traditional Jewish cemetery tucked in a cypress grove...

Small but very complete and informative museum with content in both Italian and English. As an American Jew, I found it interesting to read the descriptions of things I already know, to see how they are explained to others. I would recommend this visit as a wonderful learning experience for those who want to know more about the...

Luogo molto evocativo, ricco di storia e di informazioni su come vivevano gli ebrei a Pitigliano e in generale come la loro cultura si è sviluppata nel corso della storia. All'ingresso della biglietteria fanno entrare circa 6 persone per volta per poter fare i biglietti e consentire una gestione regolare del flusso di persone .Gli uomini devono indossare il tipico copricapo "kippa" che viene comunque fornito dal personale al costo aggiuntivo di 1 euro oltre ai 5 del museo. Il percorso comprende la splendida sinagoga e i locali storici scavati nel tufo dove la gente viveva la quotidianità e riti. Da vedere assolutamente. Lì vicino trovate il forno del ghetto con eccezionali prodotti...