The Synagogue of Siena, designed in 1786 on the site of previous places of worship, is located in the narrow delle Scotte alley near Piazza del Campo. Today, it stands as one of the rare examples of architecture between Rococo and Neoclassicism in Tuscany. The simple exterior facade and, in contrast, the richly decorated and elegant interior are exemplary of synagogues built before Emancipation. The slightly rectangular hall houses rows of benches along the sides, while at the center stands the podium (Tevà), adorned with nine 18th-century ten-branched candelabra. Among the preserved objects, special attention should be paid to an Elijah’s Chair, located in the large entrance hall preceding the sanctuary, which was donated to the Community in 1860 by Rabbi Nissin. The wooden backrest is finely inlaid with verses recalling circumcision, the ceremony for which it was made. Visiting the Synagogue is complemented by a small educational exhibition in Italian and English: a display of texts, images, and documents tracing important events from over 700 years of Jewish presence.
Information about the Synagogue of Siena
delle Scotte, 14
Siena (Siena)
0577284647
comebrfi@tin.it
https://www.firenzebraica.net
Source : MIBACT
