The Ghetto of Venice

"So now we will pass through the ghetto", I said casually while leading my new American friends through the calli of Venice.

 

"Oh my God" said one of the two young couchsurfers with surprise and apprehension, " is it dangerous?".

 

Little did they know that this was a completely different kind of ghetto, not a place of segregation, poverty and crime within an American city, but an area of the town where historically the Jewish population used to live, with restrictions certainly, but also in relative wealth. The word ghetto - which was later used for Nazi Jewish quarters in Eastern Europe or for racially segregated neighbourhoods in the United States - was in fact born in Venice to indicate the area where Jewish people were confined in the past. Its origins indicate a possible foundry that existed on the island that was chosen to accommodate the growing Jewish population of Venice in the 16th century.

Campo del Gheto Nuovo



Today the Jewish ghetto of Venice is, at least according to me, one of the most charming places in all of Venice. It is formed by a campo, the only one in the town without a church, and by several narrow streets. If you are not looking for it, you might as well miss it. Campo del Gheto Nuovo is a peaceful place, with children playing, the occasional Orthodox Jew walking by, and buildings taller than the ones you can see in the rest of the town. This is because the Jewish population of Venice was restricted to this area, so people built taller houses to accommodate everyone.

 

Tall Houses in the Ghetto

Children playing at the ghetto


It is almost impossible to distinguish the synagogues from the outside, as they were expressively built not to be ostentatious from the outside. You can identify one of them by a series of five windows with green shutters representing the first five books in the Bible. You can see another if you look at one corner of the square: that strange wooden structure with a small dome is the place in the synagogue where the ancient scriptures are read in one of the old historical synagogues. I think one of the reasons why Venice, and this area in particular, is so charming has to do with the state of decay of some of the houses and palaces, as if a veil of nostalgia made Venice more special.



A corner with the synagogue visible

The Orthodox Jews you will see in the square are not native of Venice, but they relocated from other parts of the world. Understandably, Venetian Jews nowadays live all over the town, and not only here. In a corner of the square there is a monument that remembers the Holocaust, with the names of all the people who were deported. It is indeed a touching monument, but don't make the mistake of associating the neighbourhood with this only.



The monument commemorating the people who were deported

As a matter of fact, the area is peppered with art galleries displaying the work of Jewish artists, a couple of shops selling Jewish items, especially candleholders, and a kosher restaurant. The latter is not bad, if you fancy a change from the average Italian menu. What they offer is a mixture of Italian and Middle Eastern dishes, and they have a very nice and filling appetizer dish for €9,80. I find the area more lively than most Jewish streets or neighbourhoods in other Italian towns, like Ferrara. There are also a couple of bakeries, and a museum in a corner of the main campo.


Kosher bakery

To visit the aforementioned museum, you can pay the normal entrance fee (4€) or ask for a joined ticket that will also give you the possibility to visit three synagogues with a guided tour that starts every hour, in English and Italian (10€). Don't visit the museum without the guided tour of the synagogues, because that's the highlight of a visit to the ghetto. The tour is very informative, and the guide will answer every possible curiosity you may have about the Jewish community in Venice. And of course, you'll have the opportunity to see the old synagogues and learn about the different congregations and the life of Venetian Jews throughout the centuries.
 



A corner of the main square

I suggest that you don't miss passing through the ghetto while you're in Venice. The area is not far from the railway station. Just take the street that starts on the left of the train station (don't cross Ponte degli Scalzi), and go straight until you reach a bridge (Ponte delle Guglie). After passing the bridge, turn immediately to your left following the canal. Here you should see a yellow sign helping you. It's written in both Italian and Hebrew. Turn right under the stone doorway when you see a restaurant with tables along the canal.

The ghetto is not an overtly touristic area of Venice, and there are quiet canals all around it, so it's perfect for a pleasant walk on a sunny (or not so sunny day).
 

The quiet Fondamenta degli Ormesini, near the ghetto