Since always located in the inner wall, there still exists the old Jewish quarter, very close to “Porta d’El Rei” (kings door).
The Jewish Community of Guarda has long been one of the most important and one of the oldest in our country.
It’s proven that it dates back to the 13th century with D. Dinis charter, being given some houses from “S. Vicente’s” parish to Jewish families, and installed in one of them the synagogue.

This was the new Jewish quarter, a continuation of an older, mentioned in the charter from the year of 1199. At the end of the 14th century lived there around 200 people and, 50 years after, the number of Jewish inhabitants was around 600 and 850. Families had names like Ergas, Castro, Falilho, Baruc, Mocatel, Marcos, Querido, Alva, Cáceres, Castelão, and others.
The hearings from the tribunal of Inquisition took place in “S. Vicente” and “S. Pedro” churches.

The dynamic Jewish community of Guarda offered a range of services to the population: tailors, cobblers, tanners, weavers, surgeons, goldsmiths, carpenters and some others, as shown in the architecture of the houses, with two floors – one for trade and other for housing, and the two doors, the large one for business and the small one for the family.
The Jewish quarter extended from the “king’s door” to the “S. Vicente’s” churchyard, limited by the wall and “Rua Direita” which gave access to that door. In 1465 this access was closed because of the protests from Christians.

PLACES TO VISIT:
-    Historic Center - Centro Histórico
-    Medieval Jewish Quarter - Bairro Judeu Medieval
-    Cathedral – Catedral
-    Watchtower – Torre de Vigia
-    Blacksmith tower  - Torre dos  Ferreiros
-    Museum of Guarda – Museu da Guarda
-    Jewish/religious marks in Historic Center  - Marcas judaicas/religiosas no Centro Histórico

Contacts:

Câmara Municipal da Guarda  

Praça do Município

6301-854 Guarda

271 220 220

Welcome Center – Delegação da Serra da Estrela

Praça Luís de Camões nº 21

6300-725 Guarda

271 205 530

Tourism Office – Guarda
Largo Luíz Vaz de Camões
6300-725 Guarda
Telephone: 271 205 533