Remains of a crypt have appeared next to the walls that could have belonged to a synagogue
The works to improve the pavement in a street in Toledo have resulted in a series of walls one and a half meters wide with gypsum plaster. Next to these walls, the remains of a vault or crypt have been found. All this could belong to one of the ten synagogues this city once had – today only two remain in good condition – as the place where they appeared is right at the entrance to the old Jewish quarter of Toledo, between the Puerta del Cambrón and the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes.
According to Toledo City Council Councilor for Works, Noelia de la Cruz, the archaeologists are “assessing the find to determine the extent of these remains and take the necessary measures to protect this heritage.”
The hypothesis that these remains belong to a synagogue has been gaining weight since they were found a few meters from the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, a temple built by the Catholic Monarchs to mark their victory at the Battle of Toro (1476) to commemorate. ) against the forces of Alfonso V of Portugal in the War of the Castilian Succession, which caused the Crown of Castile to fall to Isabella the Catholic. The monastery was built on a ruined synagogue as a symbol of Christianity’s victory over Judaism with the intention that the Catholic monarchs would be buried in it. However, the remains of Isabel I of Castile and Ferdinand V of Aragon ended up in the royal chapel of Granada at the wish of their grandson, Emperor Carlos.
The same improvement to the pavement on this street in Toledo – Reyes Católicos Street – where these remains surfaced months ago, has uncovered another discovery: a Jewish well nine meters deep and six months in diameter. A public well to supply the residents of the Jewish Quarter whose curb was later moved to Pozo Amargo Street, where it can now be seen.
A well with a legend: Fernando and Raquel, two young people in love, he a Christian and she a Jew, who had a forbidden romance. Her father discovered them and killed the young man. Raquel went every night after that to the well where they gathered to remember him and there she wept bitter tears. So day after day until one evening he saw Fernando’s face reflected in the water and threw himself to the bottom. According to tradition, the screams of the young woman made the water bitter. In reality, the water from most springs in the historic center of Toledo has a bitter taste because it is simply brackish.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
