The Jewish Museum

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A journey into memory

The Yeshivà Marini Museum in Livorno

A stone’s throw from the Central Market of Livorno is a place of memory and culture that preserves centuries of history and tradition: the Jewish Yeshivà Marini Museum. Spread over two floors, the museum winds its way through the halls of the Oratory, where prayers once resounded and religious functions were held, and where today one can admire objects of worship, silverware, and precious fabrics that tell the story of a vibrant and integrated Jewish community within the economic and social fabric of the city. The collection is a journey through the prosperity and tragedies experienced by the Jewish community of Livorno, with special attention to Nazi-Fascist persecutions and racial laws.

Inaugurated in 1992, it is housed in the Marini Oratory, a neoclassical building that, since 1867, has assumed various vital functions for the Jewish community. This cultural space narrates the memories of Jewish culture in Livorno, starting with the construction of the first Synagogue, in 1593, a symbol of prosperity and community center that unfortunately was destroyed during World War II.

The rich displayed heritage, with pieces from different eras and geographies, reflects the heterogeneity of the liturgical heritage of the Livorno Synagogue, once the hub of the Jewish community and a mirror of its flourishing. Objects of Dutch, North African, Florentine, Roman, Venetian origin, and creations by local silversmiths tell the story of a past where the port of Livorno was a crossroads of cultures and trades, with Jews as active protagonists. Despite the ravages of war, the museum has managed to preserve artifacts of inestimable value, including the ancient Aronot ha-Kodesh, a cabinet coated in gold and decorated with coins and garlands from the first Synagogue of Livorno, and the carved wooden Hekhàl.

Useful informations

Who:

Alone, Children and families, Groups, In pairs, With friends
When:

Autumn, Spring, Summer, Winter
What:

See learn and discover
Other characteristics

Indoors, Reachable by public transport, Without reservation