Founded in 1135 by D. Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal, Leiria started to impose itself in a territory until then controlled by the Arabs.
Less than a hundred years later, references already exist to the presence of Jews in this properly walled urban center.
From the 13th century, the Jewish population of Leiria kept growing and strengthening itself economically. In the year of 1337, is already referred the “Rua da Judiaria” (or Jewry Street) and the consolidation of delimited district equally grows encompassing more and more commercial, artisanal and housing functions.
In the 15th century, Leiria reached the pinnacle of Hebrew influence; the district was centered on the Jewry Street (Misericórdia) and extended from the present “Afonso Henriques Street” to the “S.Martinho Square” and the “Cathedral Square”.
Discovering the reason of being of the “Largo dos Banhos”, evaluating the location of the Synagogue and imagining the goldsmiths, mills, “cavaliças”, leather workshops and smithies make this visit to the medieval historical center a challenge.
The school, the prison and even one of the first Portuguese printers (belonging to Samuel das Ortas) existed there as well.
In the latter, was printed in 1496 the Almannach Perpetuum, from the famous Abrão Zacuto, a navigation compendium edited in an exponential period of discovery.
In the medieval Leiria rests a secret yet to be discovered.


Places to visit
Castle – Castelo
Historic Center – Centro Histórico
Moving Picture Museum – Museu da Imagem em Movimento
“Moinho do Papel” Museum – Museu Moinho do Papel
Rodrigues Lobo Square – Praça Rodrigues Lobo

Tourism Office – Leiria
Jardim Luís Camões
2400-172 Leiria
Telephone: 244 848 770