Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt, Germany

An early and rare testimony to Jewish religious and secular architecture from the Middle Ages in Central Europe

The Stone House in the Rathausgasse (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

Located in the heart of the Old Town of Erfurt, in the central-German state of Thuringia, the Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt comprises three monuments: the Old Synagogue, the Mikveh and the Stone House. The property was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2023.

Exterior view of the mikveh (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

The three buildings which are included in this site illustrate the life of the local Jewish community and its coexistence with a Christian majority in Central Europe during the Middle Ages, between the end of the 11th and the mid-14th century.

The Old Synagogue, west façade (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

The Old Synagogue is one of the oldest, largest and best preserved medieval synagogues in Europe, with wall sections and a wooden beam which date back to the end of the 11th century. It was at the heart of the life of Erfurt’s Jewish community in the Middle Ages.

The Old Synagogue, west façade from the street (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

The building is a rectangular two-storey structure with an asymmetrical gable roof. It is located in a courtyard where it is not directly visible from the street, as was typical at that time for Jewish religious buildings built in neighbourhoods hosting both Jews and Christians. 

The Old Synagogue, north façade: former entrance, around 1300, bricked up after the pogrom (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

Four different phases of construction have been identified: the building originated in around 1100, it was reconstructed in the late 12th century, the third and main phase took place around 1270, and the building was expanded in around 1300.

Western Façade, lancet window, around 1300, partly bricked up after the 1349 pogrom (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

The building shows evidence of modifications that were made during the mid-14th century as a consequence of the damage that was suffered during the pogrom of 1349, when most of the town’s Jewish community was massacred.

The Old Synagogue, the Ground floor (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

Following the pogrom, the building was converted into a storehouse: a vaulted cellar was created, two wooden ceilings were added, and two large doorways were opened up to allow access for carts. The building was used as a storehouse for the next 500 years. 

Upper floor of the Old Synagogue: the 19th century dance hall (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

At the end of the 19th century, further modifications were made to the building when it was turned into a restaurant with a ballroom and even two skittle alleys in the basement. The building was used for gastronomic purposes up until the 1990s.

The cellar as exhibition space of the Erfurt Treasure (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

Today, the Old Synagogue houses an extraordinary museum. Inaugurated in 2009, it is a place where the medieval testimonies of Erfurt‘s Jewish community, including Hebrew manuscripts and the so-called Erfurt Treasure, are accessible to the public. 

The Erfurt Treasure (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

The Erfurt Treasure is displayed in the cellar, and includes a collection of coins, jewellery and silver tableware, weighing almost 30 kg in total. They were discovered in the cellar of a nearby house, where it is presumed they were hidden by their owner during the 1349 pogrom.

The protective building covering the Mikveh (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

The 13th-century Mikveh, a structure purposely designed for ritual bathing, is located on the banks of the River Gera, probably in order to facilitate access to groundwater, as required by Jewish religious tradition.

The Mikveh, Remains of the vault on the south side (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

The Mikveh was built on a rectangular plan, nine metres long and three metres wide, with high-quality stone walls, exhibiting different stone types: large sandstone ashlar blocks for the basin area and regular courses of limestone for the lowest and uppermost part of the walls.

The protective building covering the Mikveh (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

The Mikveh was converted into a cellar following the forced migration of Jews from Erfurt in 1453. It was discovered by chance in 2007, having been grassed over in the 1940s. The Mikveh was excavated and encased in a protective modern structure and is now a branch of the museum.

Inside the Mikveh (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

The Mikveh in Erfurt is one of just a few well-preserved examples of medieval monumental mikvehs in Europe, and its existence is further testimony to the town’s prosperous Jewish community in the Middle Ages.

The Stone House in the Rathausgasse (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

The Stone House is a medieval stone structure that today forms part of a complex of buildings located near the Town Hall in the centre of Erfurt. Built in around 1200 as a residential and commercial property, it was known as a kemenate in reference to the fact it was heated. 

The Stone House, First floor room with arched light niche and painted wooden ceiling (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

Unique in Europe is the preserved interior of the upper floor room, with a pointed-arched niche and barely altered exterior walls. The beams used in the coloured wooden ceiling have been dated back to 1247.

The Stone House, Flowers on the floorboard sections between the ceiling beams (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

The wood-beamed ceiling is comprised of panels which are all decorated with the same flower motif, as well as beams that each feature different plant designs.

The Stone House, Cellar with display depot for the tombstones from the medieval Jewish cemetery (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

The vaulted cellar of the house is used as an exhibition space for about 110 Jewish gravestones and fragments from the 13th to the 15th century. These can be viewed during guided tours. 

The Old Synagogue, west façade, rosette and lancet window, around 1270 (2023) by Jewish-Medieval Heritage of ErfurtUNESCO World Heritage

The Old Synagogue, the Mikveh and the Stone House together reflect how Jews and Christians lived together in the midst of coexistence, persecution and expulsion in a medieval city in Europe, and are a rare testimony to Jewish religious and secular architecture of that time.

Credits: Story

This exhibit was created by the Erfurt City Administration
https://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/

More on the Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt and World Heritage:
whc.unesco.org/en/list/1656/

Photos: Erfurt City Administration/Norman Hera/Dirk Urban/Ulrich Kneise/Marcel Krummrich/Maria Stürzebecher/Anja Schultz; TLDA/Werner Streitberger

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
Explore more
Related theme
Explore UNESCO World Heritage
Preserving the world's most outstanding places for future generations to enjoy
View theme