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District of Giudecca

Among the most historical districts of Siracusa, The Giudecca is the protector of the memory of ancient hebraic community. Absolutely to visit: the hebraic bathroom and the Churches of Saint Filippo Apostolo and Saint Giovanni Battista.

Since ancient times, Siracusa has hosted a large Jewish community.
When in the Medioeval, the city moved to the Island of Ortigia, the hebrews moved to the island too, they occupied a small quarter.
Still today this area is called Giudecca: you find it between Via della Maestranza and Via Larga.
Although, today we have few remains of this because of the vicissitudes to which the Jews went against trhough the centuries and the earthquake of 1693 destroyed part of the buldings.
It is duty to visit this place: you'll welcome by particular "vicoletti" (streets) and three historic sities that you can't loose: the hebraic bathroom, the Church of Saint Giovanni Battista and the Church of Saint Filippo.

San Giovannello or church of San Giovanni Battista was built on a pre-existing early Christian basilica of the fourth century. The façade has a portal and a rose window belonging to the fifteenth century and two bell cells, even if the two bells are no longer known.
The 1380 façade shows elements that are not aligned with each other, caused by frequent alterations. Internally the three Latin cross naves are separated by columns alternating with pointed arches. Today the church is open for worship.

On the remains of the fifteenth-century synagogue stands the church of San Filippo Apostolo, the most important in Giudecca. It was built in the eighteenth century with funding from the Confraternity of San Filippo which transformed the miqweh of the pre-existing synagogue into a sepulchral crypt for the deceased brothers, the hypogeum of San Filippo.
Today you can admire it from an opening at the entrance to the church. The façade is embellished with Corinthian-style decorations and the churchyard is bordered by two stone obelisks.
The interiors are adorned with eighteenth-century stuccoes and important works, including the urn of the dead Christ that the faithful carry in procession, with the Addolorata, on Good Friday.

Finally, the Jewish bath. Located 18 meters below street level, in the basement of a patrician building that now houses a hotel, and powered by pure spring water, it is one of the only ritual baths in Europe that still retains its integrity and charm.
From a tunnel dug into the rock, you will enter a small room, in the center you will see the pools in which exponents of the Syracusan Jewish community used to immerse themselves to purify themselves - the water still flows today, it comes from the aquifer that also gives life to the Arethusa Spring.

INFO

Via della Giudecca, 40

96100 Siracusa SR