The Great Synagogue of Florence, the Tempio Maggiore, rises above the rooftops east of the centre with a great green copper dome and richly patterned Moorish-style interior. Built in the 1870s after the emancipation of Italy's Jews, it is one of the largest and most beautiful synagogues in Europe, its walls covered in red, blue, and gold arabesques.
A small Jewish Museum within tells the story of Florence's Jewish community, including the damage inflicted by retreating Nazi troops in 1944 and the building's careful restoration. Visits are by ticket with airport-style security; the lush surrounding garden and the quiet streets of the old Jewish quarter make it a rewarding detour from the Sant'Ambrogio market nearby.