Híjar Synagogue

Híjar Synagogue
Híjar Synagogue
	The former synagogue and former church, in 2021
Religion
Affiliation	Judaism (former); Roman Catholicism (former);
Rite	Nusach Sefard
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Synagogue (15th century); Church (1492–2024);
Ownership	Municipality of Hijar
Status	Abandoned (as a synagogue);; Repurposed;
Location
Location	San Antón Square, Híjar, Teruel, Aragon
Country	Spain
	Location of the former synagogue and former church, in Aragon
Geographic coordinates	41°10′36″N 0°27′05″W / 41.17666°N 0.45134°W
Architecture
Type	Synagogue architecture
Completed	15th century
Materials	Stone

The Híjar Synagogue, also known as St. Anthony’s Synagogue, is a former Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in San Antón Square, Híjar, in the province of Teruel, Aragon, Spain. The building was used as a synagogue during the 15th century; as a Catholic church from 1492 until 2024; and, in 2024, plans were announced to restore the building as a synagogue.^[2]^[3]

History

Since the expulsion of the Jews from Spain it has been in use as the Church of San Antón in Híjar. The Jewish community in Híjar is known to have numbered 32 families as late 1481, after a series of pogroms and partial expulsions. Before the expulsion in 1492, the Jewish community of Híjar was noted for craftsmen expert in parchment-making and bookbinding. Híjar was also an early center for Hebrew printing.^[4]

The building is one of the best-preserved synagogue buildings on the Iberian Peninsula, after the synagogues of Toledo, Córdoba and Tomar.^[4]^[5]