Synagogue of El Tránsito

Synagogue of El Tránsito
Spanish: Sinagoga del Tránsito
Exterior of the former synagogue and former church, in 2012
Religion
Affiliation
RiteNusach Sefard
Ecclesiastical or organizational status
Status
  • Abandoned (as a synagogue);
  • Repurposed
Location
LocationCalle Samuel Levi, Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha
CountrySpain
Location of the former synagogue and former church in Castilla-La Mancha
Geographic coordinates39°51′21″N 4°01′46″W / 39.8557°N 4.02944°W / 39.8557; -4.02944
Architecture
Architect(s)Don Meir (Mayr) Abdeil
TypeSynagogue architecture
StyleMudéjar/Moorish
FounderSamuel HaLevi Abulafia
Date establishedc.1350s (as a congregation)
Completed
  • 1357 (as a synagogue)
  • 1556 (as a church)
MaterialsStone
Official nameEdificio Denominado Sinagoga del Tránsito
TypeMonumento
Designated1877
Reference no.RI-51-0000017

The Synagogue of El Tránsito (Spanish: Sinagoga del Tránsito), also known as the Synagogue of Samuel ha-Levi or Halevi, is a former Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at on Calle Samuel Levi, in the historic old city of Toledo, in the province of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain.

Designed by master mason Don Meir (Mayr) Abdeil, it was built in 1357 in the Mudéjar or Moorish style as an annex of the palace of Samuel HaLevi, treasurer to King Peter of Castile. The synagogue is located in the former Jewish quarter of the city between the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes and the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca. It is one of three preserved synagogues constructed by Jews under the rule of the Christian Kingdom of Castile.

The building was converted to a Catholic church after the Expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492. It was briefly used as military barracks during the Napoleonic Wars of the early 1800s. It became a Sephardic Jewish museum in 1910, formally known today as the Sephardic Museum.

The building has been added to the list of monuments of Spanish Cultural Heritage (Spanish: Bien de Interés Cultural). It is also known for its rich stucco decoration, Mudéjar style, and women's gallery.