The Ghetto of Rome

Located within the Rione XI – Sant'Angelo , the ancient Jewish Ghetto of Rome is one of the hidden treasures of the Capital , a small neighborhood rich in archaeological and cultural evidence, as well as religious, but also in refined culinary specialties that have significantly inspired traditional Roman cuisine.

A tale of resistance
The ghetto of Rome is considered the oldest in the Western world, second only to that of Venice, and was created in 1555 by order of Pope Paul IV.

It had only two exits and anyone who lived there was not allowed to carry out commercial activities or own real estate. Furthermore, it was mandatory for the resident Jews to wear a distinctive sign of belonging to the Jewish community. The inhabitants of the Ghetto made a virtue of necessity, becoming, thanks also to these prohibitions, shrewd clothing merchants and skilled businessmen in the field of loans.

Over the course of its history, the Ghetto was abandoned several times, but these were often for short periods, which were followed by new confinements, until 1870, with the breach of Porta Pia and the end of papal rule, the year in which it was definitively closed.

In 1904, the Tempio Maggiore was inaugurated , the great Synagogue , a cultural point of reference for the entire Jewish community and, still today, together with the Jewish Museum housed inside, one of the main attractions of the area.

The culture of “Stumbling Stones”
In 1943, more precisely on October 16, one of the largest deportations carried out during the years of Nazi-Fascist persecution started from the Ghetto: more than 1000 Jews were forcibly taken from their homes and two days later loaded onto a train headed for Auschwitz. Of them, only 16 survived the extermination.

As a symbol of shared memory, these brass plaques were installed in Rome, as well as in many other cities affected by persecution, reporting the personal data, the date of arrest and the date and place of death of the individual victims. New stumbling stones are added every year, the last in 2022, for a total of 400.

Historic Places
Inside the Ghetto we find the Teatro Marcello, the Portico d'Ottavia, the Fontana delle Tartarughe by Bernini, the Ponte dei Quattro Capi, the Tempio delle Ninfe, the Church of Sant'Angelo in Pescheria and many other historical places important for the city of Rome.

Kosher Cuisine: Tradition and Internationality
One of the main reasons to visit the neighborhood, besides its essential historical significance, is certainly the Jewish-Roman cuisine, rich in tasty and delicious dishes such as artichokes alla giudia, tart with fresh sour cherries and ricotta, cod fillets and anchovy and endive tart. But one cannot fail to mention the “Kosher” philosophy as a reason for tourist attraction. It is nothing less than a set of rules, of religious nature and origin, on which the nutrition of observant Jews is based.

The meaning of the term is in fact “ in accordance with the law ”. But what to order in a restaurant in the ghetto? Definitely fish broth, one of the delicacies of all and stuffed fish.

In the many restaurants in the neighborhood you can also taste fusion recipes that mix traditional Jewish cuisine with international cuisine.