El Call: Girona's Medieval Jewish Quarter
El Call is one of Europe's best-preserved Jewish quarters. Explore its alleys, the Museum of Jewish History on Carrer de la Força and 600 years of history.
El Call is one of the best-preserved medieval Jewish quarters in Europe. In this labyrinth of stone alleys, stairways and courtyards, a Jewish community lived from the late 9th century until the expulsion of 1492. Walking through it means stepping into one of the densest and most fascinating chapters of Girona's history.
What El Call is
El Call sits at the heart of Girona's old town, beside the cathedral. Its origins date to around 890–898, when several Jewish families settled in houses near the city's religious centre. For centuries it was one of the most important Jewish communities in Catalonia, second only to Barcelona's.
Carrer de la Força
The old Roman road, today Carrer de la Força, was the quarter's main artery. From it branch narrow, steep alleys that climb towards the city walls. Lose the map for a while: the staircases, arches and dead-end passages are exactly what make El Call unforgettable. Many corners have served as filming locations for cinema and television.
The Museum of Jewish History
At Carrer de la Força 8 stands the Museu d'Història dels Jueus (Museum of Jewish History), inside the Centre Bonastruc ça Porta, built over what was the city's last synagogue. Its rooms trace the daily life, culture and history of Catalonia's Jewish communities. Highlights include a remarkable collection of Hebrew tombstones from Girona's Montjuïc cemetery and documents linked to the 1492 expulsion.
Looking for somewhere to stay in Girona? Sleeping in the old town puts El Call on your doorstep. Compare hotels and apartments near the cathedral on Booking.com.
Nahmanides and the Kabbalah school
The 13th century was El Call's golden age. A renowned school of Kabbalah flourished here, led by figures such as Azriel of Girona and above all Moshe ben Nahman —Nahmanides, also known as the Ramban or Bonastruc ça Porta—, the city's most influential Jewish scholar, who gives the centre and museum their name. From this circle came the first kabbalists of the Iberian Peninsula.
1492 and the end of the community
Coexistence was not without tension, pressure and episodes of violence over the centuries. The expulsion decree of 1492 ended more than six hundred years of Jewish presence in Girona. Telling this story honestly —its cultural richness as well as its tragic ending— is part of what makes a visit to El Call so worthwhile today.
How to explore it
Start at the museum on Carrer de la Força to grasp the context, then follow the side alleys that run perpendicular towards the cathedral, such as Sant Llorenç or Manuel Cúndaro. Allow a good hour for the walk and check the museum hours before you go, as they differ between the summer season and the rest of the year.
Activities in Girona: free walking tours of El Call, guided visits and old-town experiences help you read every stone. See what's available on GetYourGuide.
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