One of the oldest synagogues still in use in Europe. The plain stone façade gives little away — a single pointed arched doorway and a few small windows — but inside is a single high-ceilinged room with a women's gallery and a quiet medieval atmosphere. Trani in the Middle Ages had one of the most important Jewish communities in southern Italy, with four synagogues clustered on the streets known as La Giudecca. The Scolanova is the only one still functioning as such. Opening hours are limited; check the schedule of the small adjoining museum.
Scolanova Synagogue
A story
The synagogue was built in the 13th century, converted into a church in 1380 when Trani's Jews were forcibly baptised, and remained the Church of Santa Maria Scolanova until 2006. The handful of Jewish families who returned to Trani in the early 21st century repurchased the building; a Torah ark was carved and the synagogue resumed regular services in 2006, after a 626-year interruption.