El Transito Synagogue and Sephardic Museum

El Transito Synagogue and Sephardic Museum

El Transito Synagogue and Sephardic Museum
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Duration: 2-3 hours
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  • osnoopy13
    Lilburn, Georgia288 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Religious Historical Treasure
    Very interesting and historic site. This church has served many religious purposes over the years. Very old setting. Beautiful inside. Jewish in structure but used by Christian worshippers also. Has some Islamic features. I recommend you make sure to include it when you’re visiting Toledo.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 2 May 2023
  • G_N_Rxrt
    2 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Impressive site, poor language support
    The El Tránsito Synagogue is a remarkable historical site that is well worth visiting. The quality of the synagogue restoration and associated museum exhibit are a testament to the hard work and dedication of the government and scholarly community. Unfortunately, the quality of the English language services leaves much to be desired. The English language audio guide is not accessed though an app or internet web site, but rather through what appears to be an intranet site on the museum's wifi network. The posted instructions are poor and the ticket clerk knew too little English to be helpful. When it appeared that my phone couldn't get onto the network she simply walked away stating "no disponible," i.e., the wifi is not available. She was not willing to help any more. I was eventually able to access the audio with the help of a gentleman in the lobby, who may or may not have worked at the museum. I had to turn off my cellular signal and log onto the wifi in airplane mode. Otherwise when I tried to enter the local URL for the audio, my phone would go to a different website on the internet. All of the explanatory text in the exhibit was in Spanish, which would not have been too big a deal if I were able to use Google translate. However, that required an internet connection and my phone was in airplane mode. Why a museum that draws so many foreign visitors cannot hire staff that are fluent in English and provide English language translations of their exhibits is truly beyond my understanding.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 13 September 2023
  • RjessMMM
    Vancouver, Washington565 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Spectacular Synagogue
    One of our highlights in visiting Toledo for a couple of days. We visited on a Saturday afternoon. We arrived at around 150pm and the ticket office advised us to wait until 2pm since it was free at that time. While the cost to get in was quite low, it was kind of them to let us know ahead of time since we did not read the sign which clearly indicates this. There were maybe 15 people outside in a queue. Security is very tight. At this time that I am writing this, the ground invasion of the Gaza Strip was occurring during the Israeli - Hamas war. There is screening done of all your belongings including your jacket. Subsequently everyone was wanded as well. As soon as you get past security, the synagogue opens up into a large building that takes your breath away. The details from the wood ceiling to the spectacular designs on the walls makes you appreciate what true artistic skills look like. Climbing up the stairs gets you even closer to the examine the craftsmanship that had to have taken years to complete. Would definitely visit again. Enjoy.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 4 November 2023
  • Louise Masin Sattler
    Los Angeles, California1,099 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fascinating and Beautiful
    This was a place in Spain I longed to visit. The history of this building and the Jewish Quarter is centuries old and fascinating. The area is having a renovation so some parts were not accessible. But the main rooms were open to the public November 2023. An audio tour is available with photos. No open captioning on the video and only a brief summary. I brought this to the attention of a docent.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 29 November 2023
  • heather o
    Williamsburg, Virginia27 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    disappointing for English speakers
    Beautiful synagogue with a lot of artifacts none of which could be read nor understood because the audioguide provided does not work well in the museum area. It kept going out. Our group had 2 Samsung Androids and 2 iPhones. None of the phones could get decent reception to play the audioguides in the museum. So, if you are an English speaker, this museum will not be very helpful. I wish they could provide labels in English of the displays.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 6 January 2024
  • Razorfish
    Little Rock, Arkansas3,866 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Former Jewish synagogue built in 1357 with Moorish influence in its architecture
    The former synagogue was built in 1357 with a Moorish architectural influence. In 1492, when the Jewish religion was banned in Spain it began to be used for Christian purposes. It is now a museum which highlights its former Jewish history.
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 16 January 2024
  • wireless_in_CA
    United States4,994 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Free Admission During Our Visit
    When we visited in January everyone was admitted without paying admission. That was a nice gesture since only two areas were accessible to visitors. While the line was short it did take awhile before we could go inside as the security process was slow as they only admitted a couple persons at a time. Once inside the main room was fabulous with its Moorish architecture. Head up to the second floor to admire more of those details up close. I also loved the rich wooden ceiling with its own unique design and patterns. The second floor museum collection of Jewish artifacts included everyday home life, religion, school, etc but we would have gotten a better understanding had they included some explanations in English. My translator app helped a bit. There were a couple more clothing displays just before the gift shop on the first floor. We did notice that there was a lot of construction on the courtyard behind the synagogue. Not sure what else was under renovation but hopefully there will be more things to see or learn about in the future.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 8 March 2024
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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles1,969 reviews
Excellent
867
Very good
765
Average
264
Poor
49
Terrible
24

wireless_in_CA
United States4,994 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Family
When we visited in January everyone was admitted without paying admission. That was a nice gesture since only two areas were accessible to visitors. While the line was short it did take awhile before we could go inside as the security process was slow as they only admitted a couple persons at a time.

Once inside the main room was fabulous with its Moorish architecture. Head up to the second floor to admire more of those details up close. I also loved the rich wooden ceiling with its own unique design and patterns.

The second floor museum collection of Jewish artifacts included everyday home life, religion, school, etc but we would have gotten a better understanding had they included some explanations in English. My translator app helped a bit.

There were a couple more clothing displays just before the gift shop on the first floor.

We did notice that there was a lot of construction on the courtyard behind the synagogue. Not sure what else was under renovation but hopefully there will be more things to see or learn about in the future.
Written 8 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tommo
Melbourne, Australia50,431 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Couples
The Synagogue of El Tránsito s a historic synagogue, church, and museum in Toledo, Spain. It was built in 1357.

The synagogue became a church after the expulsion of the Jews from from Spain in 1492.
Written 10 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Razorfish
Little Rock, AR3,866 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Couples
The former synagogue was built in 1357 with a Moorish architectural influence. In 1492, when the Jewish religion was banned in Spain it began to be used for Christian purposes. It is now a museum which highlights its former Jewish history.
Written 16 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

heather o
Williamsburg, VA27 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
Beautiful synagogue with a lot of artifacts none of which could be read nor understood because the audioguide provided does not work well in the museum area. It kept going out. Our group had 2 Samsung Androids and 2 iPhones. None of the phones could get decent reception to play the audioguides in the museum. So, if you are an English speaker, this museum will not be very helpful. I wish they could provide labels in English of the displays.
Written 6 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Louise Masin Sattler
Los Angeles, CA1,099 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Couples
This was a place in Spain I longed to visit. The history of this building and the Jewish Quarter is centuries old and fascinating. The area is having a renovation so some parts were not accessible. But the main rooms were open to the public November 2023. An audio tour is available with photos. No open captioning on the video and only a brief summary. I brought this to the attention of a docent.
Written 29 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RjessMMM
Vancouver, WA565 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Couples
One of our highlights in visiting Toledo for a couple of days. We visited on a Saturday afternoon. We arrived at around 150pm and the ticket office advised us to wait until 2pm since it was free at that time. While the cost to get in was quite low, it was kind of them to let us know ahead of time since we did not read the sign which clearly indicates this. There were maybe 15 people outside in a queue.
Security is very tight. At this time that I am writing this, the ground invasion of the Gaza Strip was occurring during the Israeli - Hamas war. There is screening done of all your belongings including your jacket. Subsequently everyone was wanded as well. As soon as you get past security, the synagogue opens up into a large building that takes your breath away. The details from the wood ceiling to the spectacular designs on the walls makes you appreciate what true artistic skills look like. Climbing up the stairs gets you even closer to the examine the craftsmanship that had to have taken years to complete.
Would definitely visit again. Enjoy.
Written 4 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Adventurers049
Brisbane, Australia3,393 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Couples
The synagogue looks like the design is heavily influenced by the Moors.
There are quite a lot of interesting exhibits on the upper level.
Written 17 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Harry R
14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Family
This is a must see, one-of-a-kind, telescope into a glorious dimension of Jewish life (and legend) from the 1300s. Walk into the old sanctuary (inactive) and be awed by the scale (stock photos can understate the dimensions) . Long appropriated by the church, only the structure remains, but that is enough: vivid evidence of the tremendous vitality of the tiny European Jewish world - and there is a good museum and bookstore (though largely in Spanish, apparently).
Written 13 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

G_N_Rxrt
2 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Family
The El Tránsito Synagogue is a remarkable historical site that is well worth visiting. The quality of the synagogue restoration and associated museum exhibit are a testament to the hard work and dedication of the government and scholarly community. Unfortunately, the quality of the English language services leaves much to be desired.
The English language audio guide is not accessed though an app or internet web site, but rather through what appears to be an intranet site on the museum's wifi network. The posted instructions are poor and the ticket clerk knew too little English to be helpful. When it appeared that my phone couldn't get onto the network she simply walked away stating "no disponible," i.e., the wifi is not available. She was not willing to help any more.
I was eventually able to access the audio with the help of a gentleman in the lobby, who may or may not have worked at the museum. I had to turn off my cellular signal and log onto the wifi in airplane mode. Otherwise when I tried to enter the local URL for the audio, my phone would go to a different website on the internet.
All of the explanatory text in the exhibit was in Spanish, which would not have been too big a deal if I were able to use Google translate. However, that required an internet connection and my phone was in airplane mode.
Why a museum that draws so many foreign visitors cannot hire staff that are fluent in English and provide English language translations of their exhibits is truly beyond my understanding.
Written 13 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Katherine S
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
• Sinagoga Transitorio
◦ I found the synagogue FASCINATING. Part of this fascination, however, stemmed from the fact that, having grown up Jewish, I was already familiar with Jewish customs and cared somewhat about Jewish history, as well as the fact that I could understand enough Spanish with enough ease to enjoy reading the signs.
▪ Although I understood the signs, reading Spanish also provided enough of a challenge that I found the added challenge fun.
▪ There was much, much more to read and I could’ve spent more time there. I think we spent over 1 hour there.
◦ History
▪ Masses of Jews arrived in Spain after 70CE, fleeing Roman persecution in the wake of the destruction of the Second Temple.
▪ The Edict of Caracalla in 212 CE, under the Roman Empire, allowed Jews and Christians to remain part of the Empire. However, they were subject to taxation for not following the Roman pagan religion.
▪ In 313 CE, Roman Emperor Constantine officially converted to Christianity, leading the rest of the Empire to become officially Christian.
▪ The Roman Empire fell, and Visigoths ruled large parts of Spain, including Toledo. The Visigoths had nominally converted to Christianity.
▪ In 711, Tariq al-Ziyad crossed the Strait of Gibraltar, leading Umayyad Muslim forces into Spain and conquering the area. Jews, at first, hailed Tariq as a hero who would provide them with friendlier treatment than the “Christian” Visigoths had.
▪ Jewish communities were autonomous for a while under Muslim control. Cordoba was the cultural center of the Muslim (which kind of Muslim? I’m not sure) empire in Spain. But when the Cordoba caliphate crumbled, smaller, autonomous regions of power developed.
▪ In 1085, Alfonso XI conquered Toledo. Many Jews escaped to Castille.
▪ 1147 – Almohads conquer Toledo, and Jewish scholar Maimonides was forced to flee. He fled to Fez, Morocco, and then to Egypt, where he worked under the Egyptian Sultan Saladin.
▪ During the 1200s, Kings of Spain persecuted Jews, Muslims, and Christians who were not Christian enough or who didn’t subscribe to the “right” beliefs. People were dragged into the city center and made to declare “autos de fe” or tenets of faith, stating that they believed the right things. This Inquisition lasted for decades. (I’m not 100% sure how long.)

▪ 1492 – The Catholic Kings defeated the Muslim Almohad Empire and imposed control over the area. They exiled the Muslims and Jews from Spain.
◦ Interior design
▪ Rather than including images of people in the interior décor, the stone carvings decorating the main chapel included vegetation and verses from Psalms inscribed in Hebrew on the walls.
▪ According to one sign in Spanish, silk tapestries had been donated to the synagogue in the 1900s, but they were difficult to maintain and were removed.
◦ Artifacts
▪ The museum included various Jewish artifacts including Torah scrolls, decorations for the Torah (breastplate, rimonim, bells, etc), ritual objects such as an old Haggadah, knives for circumcision, and wine goblets / kiddush cups, and other artifacts. I didn’t spend a lot of time looking at these, as I’ve seen similar things before, and I found the historical aspects of the visit much more interesting.
▪ As mentioned, I could have spent much more time at the museum. I think anyone who understands Spanish and is interested in Jewish history would certainly enjoy it. Those who are interested in looking at old historical artifacts would also enjoy it. However, many of the signs were only in Spanish, so I’m not sure how interesting it would be if you didn’t understand Spanish and didn’t have a guide.
Written 7 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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El Transito Synagogue and Sephardic Museum, Toledo

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