The Mikveh and Synagogue of Besalú: Discovering Besalú’s Jewish Past

The random discovery of the mikveh in Besalú in 1964 opened a fascinating window into the life of the Jewish community that thrived in this town during the Middle Ages and the mark it left in the historic center of the town, where it resided for over five centuries.

The mikveh, which means “living water” in Hebrew, is a space for the Jewish ritual purification bath. This underground pool of Romanesque style is one of the best-preserved in Europe and one of only three discovered on the Iberian Peninsula.

The mikveh was an annex to the synagogue, the meeting place for Hebrew worship and the core of the Jewish quarter, the center of Jewish cultural life. The location of all these spaces, now called Jewish Square, has been turned into a museum along with the Jewish Gateway and the splendid viewpoint to the riverfront facade.

These archaeological remains stand out for their high degree of conservation, but also for being one of the most evocative and unique spaces of its kind: the natural light entering through the mikveh window and the reflections on the water draw a scene of hypnotic beauty. A serene spectacle that seems to honor tolerance, coexistence, and respect among peoples, values still essential in today’s world.

At the beginning of March, the town of Besalú organizes the activity Besalú, Jewish City a historical recreation focused on the evocation of the medieval Jewish community. Also there are guided tours organized by the Besalú Tourist Office, available throughout the year.