Totally Rome
The Jewish Ghetto — neighbourhood guide
2,000 years of continuous Jewish life in Rome, compressed into a few atmospheric streets.
The history
Rome's Jewish community is the oldest in Europe, with a continuous presence dating back over 2,000 years — predating the Christian era entirely. Pope Paul IV established the Ghetto in 1555, confining the Jewish population to a walled area near the Tiber; the walls came down in 1870 with Italian unification, but the neighbourhood remains the centre of Roman Jewish life and cuisine.
What to see
The Great Synagogue (Tempio Maggiore), completed in 1904, dominates the neighbourhood's skyline with its distinctive square dome — the only square dome in Rome, deliberately built to distinguish it from the round domes of the city's churches. The attached Jewish Museum traces the community's long history. The Portico d'Ottavia, an ancient Roman colonnade, stands at the neighbourhood's edge.
The food
Carciofi alla giudìa (whole fried artichokes, flattened and crisped), baccalà fritto (fried salt cod), and ricotta e visciole (ricotta and sour cherry pastry) define a culinary tradition distinct from mainstream Roman cooking. Several kosher restaurants operate along Via del Portico d'Ottavia.
Visiting respectfully
The Great Synagogue has security screening for visitors and modest dress is expected. The neighbourhood is residential as well as historic — a place people live, not only a sight to photograph.
