In the Andalusian city of Utrera, beneath a former disco bar, archaeologists have uncovered the ruins of a 14th-century synagogue.
According to a recent announcement by researchers, this structure is part of a rare group of medieval synagogues that survived the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492.
Until now, Spanish scholars were only aware of four synagogues that have remained since that time: two in Toledo, one in Segovia, and one in Córdoba.
The recently discovered fifth synagogue was used for its original purpose for seven centuries. It was later converted into a church, a hospital, an orphanage, and eventually, a disco bar.
References to the lost Jewish temple date back over 400 years. A local priest, historian, and poet, Rodrigo Caro, wrote in 1604 in the chronicles of Utrera: “In that place lived only foreigners and Jews, who had a synagogue where the Misericordia hospital now stands.”
In 2016, the Utrera city council decided to purchase the building for nearly half a million euros. This high price sparked controversy among locals, as reported by Arkeonews. However, the discovery of the ruins of this rare 14th-century synagogue beneath the former hospital, orphanage, and disco bar provided a compelling argument for acquiring the historic structure.
Interestingly, no maps or official records containing information about the medieval Utrera synagogue have survived to this day. Jewish communities in Spain had significant autonomy before the expulsion, with their own courts and tax systems. It is also likely that nothing remained at this site at all, as the expulsion of Jews was often accompanied by brutal pogroms. Furthermore, the rapid economic development in the 20th century led to the destruction of much of the medieval city.
Thus, the city hall approved the acquisition of the building and commissioned archaeological research. Scientists confirmed Rodrigo Caro’s accounts by identifying the prayer hall of the synagogue, benches around the perimeter, and a niche for storing the Torah.
According to the excavation leader, Miguel Ángel de Dios, “the first thing that needed to be confirmed was the existence of the prayer hall.” “The main elements of the synagogue, such as the vestibule and the benches around the perimeter, discovered during this research, now confirm that we are indeed in a prayer space,” the archaeologist stated.
Now, he and his team hope to identify the pulpit and the ritual bath – the mikveh.