Synagogue of Cordoba, a medieval synagogue from 1315 in the Jewish Quarter

The Synagogue of Cordoba sits in the western sector of the city's historic centre, protected as a World Heritage Site since 1994. It's an example of Mudéjar architecture, with aesthetic influence from the Nasrid kingdom of Granada, and is considered the only surviving example of Hebrew religious architecture in Cordoba.

It isn't known how many synagogues Cordoba had in the past, but the one preserved next to Plaza Tiberíades wasn't the only one. The construction date appears in the founding inscription on the eastern wall, indicating the year 1315, corresponding to the year 5075 of the Jewish calendar.

In 1884, when part of the wall rendering came away, ancient plasterwork decorating its walls was revealed. In 1885 it was declared a National Monument, beginning its restoration period.

After the expulsion of the Jews in 1492, the building changed use. It became the Hermitage of Santa Quiteria. In 1536 a brotherhood moved in, and in 1558 it passed to the shoemakers' guild, which used the space until the 17th century.

Visitors find a monument that's key to understanding the history of Sepharad. Today, the Synagogue of Cordoba is one of the three synagogues of medieval origin officially preserved in Spain. The other two are in Toledo: the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca and the Synagogue of El Tránsito, now converted into the Sephardic Museum.

One of the most significant surviving elements is the founding inscription. It was discovered in 1884 on the east wall of the prayer hall, facing Jerusalem. Its translation revealed the building's construction date as the year 1315.

The main prayer hall features plasterwork ornamentation with carved decoration, interlacing patterns with stars of various points, and plant motifs. There is also Hebrew epigraphy, drawn mainly from the Book of Psalms. In its day, the plaster decoration was polychromed.

To the right of the vestibule, a staircase leads to the second floor, where the women's gallery is located, from which they followed religious services separated from the men. This upper gallery connects to the prayer hall through three small balconies, framed by partially preserved Hebrew inscriptions.

Founding inscription

Prayer hall

Plasterwork

Hebrew epigraphy

Women's gallery

The Synagogue opens Tuesday to Sunday, from 9:00 to 15:00. It is closed on Mondays, except on public holidays or the eve of a public holiday, when it opens from 9:00 to 15:00. The last admission is 10 minutes before closing time.

Holidays when it opens: 28 February, 17 and 18 April, 15 August, 8 September, 13 and 24 October, 1 November, 6 and 8 December.

Holidays when it closes: 1 and 6 January, 1 May, 24, 25 and 31 December.

Entry to the Synagogue of Cordoba is free, so you don't need to buy a ticket in advance if you're going on your own.

If you're in a group of more than 6 people, advance booking is required. You can arrange it on site, in the monument's access area, or through the booking platform provided by the Regional Ministry of Culture and Sport.

The Synagogue is in an area with restricted traffic, but it's easy to reach on foot as it's in a very well-known neighbourhood of Cordoba's historic centre.

A few metres from the Synagogue, in Plaza Tiberíades, stands the sculpture dedicated to the Cordoban Jew Maimonides. From there, on Calle Judíos, the Synagogue is identifiable by the building's plain façade and by the sign marking your arrival at the monument.

One detail that helps place the building is the orientation of the prayer hall's east wall towards Jerusalem. On that same wall, the founding inscription was found in 1884, key to knowing the building's construction date of 1315.

The Synagogue also went through changes of use over time. After the expulsion of the Jews in 1492, the building became the Hermitage of Santa Quiteria. Later, in 1536 a brotherhood moved in, and in 1558 it passed to the shoemakers' guild, which used the space until the 17th century.

If you'd like to see it with more context, the best way is to book the guided tour of the Jewish Quarter of Cordoba with an official guide, which includes access to the Synagogue as part of the route.