Within the walls of the old city, everything is well documented. Every street, every stone. But, there is more to Dubrovnik then just the old city.
Prior to 1546, Jews couldn't settle within the actual walls of the Republic. Instead, a rather small persistant minority, settled in the Suburb of Pile. At that time apart from being protected by the Fort Of St. Lawrence, Pile was just a collection of Artisan Workshops, sandwiched between the sea, today's Hilton Hotel, the City Walls & the Hill Palaces (which where at that time, few and far inbetween).
This First community of Jews, weren't specificaly Sephardic, but a blend of the original Roman Jews who settled here well before the Spanish Inquisition. It should be noted that by the time Spanish Refugees started arriving in Dubrovnik, most of these old Jews, had already been absurbed into the framework of the Republic. As such, they weren't looked upon as strangers. For some, this situation changed by the arrival of Sephardic Jews.
Neighbouring States around Dubrovnik, weren't always loyal. Their fickleness depended on opportunity. With so many nationalities trading within the Republic, it was important for the state to practise uniformity. Since, Roman Catholicism was the dominant faith, it was important to keep its population striving for the same goal.
The original old Jews, slowly inter-married within the Commoner Population. Hence, when Sephardi Jews arrived, the then discreet, Functioning Minyan (Congregation) in Pile, firstly got divided along Religious Divisions, and then seized to exist.
Anyone who retained the faith, had to move into the Ghetto, with the new arrivals. As expected, most Pile residence didn't.
Most people who come to Dubrovnik, aren't shown this, since Jewish history most visibly, is found in the later built Jewish Ghetto in the (not so pretty) Eastern Edge of the Old City.
But if you carefully look at some buildings while walking along the sea bank towards Šuljič Bay, you'll notice the old doorposts where Mezuzah used to be kept, still vivid.
In Pile, as you're looking from the Bus Station towards a 400 year old Plain Tree, right across it, is the original site of the first ever Dubrovnik Synagogue (which was really just a simple prayer house). Ofcource, just like most commoner dwellings in Pile, the documentation either didn't exist or didn't survive the 1667 earthquake.
Today the same plot is occupied by 4 Private Residences, probably built in the early 1750.
Pile is also famous for the modest Jewish drinking fountain today over shadowed by a huge neon light statue for the fallen victims of the recent War.
Besides that there is also, the Jewish cemetery at Boninovo, kept and maintained by the Dubrovnik Synagogue.
It was founded in the late 19th century and has about 200 tombstones, including some 30 centuries-old stones transferred there from an even earlier cemetery.
As a whole, the tombs provide a textbook illustration of different types of Jewish grave markers. Some are traditional Sephardic-style horizontal slabs with ornamental carving and Hebrew inscriptions. Others, as in Split, are horizontal tombs sharped like sarcophagi with peaked or gabled roofs and Hebrew inscriptions on their sides. Others still are the upright tombstones typical of Ashkenazic Jews, who originated in central Europe.
There used to be another Jewish cemetery, but in the 1960s due to congestion, it got turned into public toilets, parking facility & a service road.
Post je objavljen 29.12.2008. u 02:05 sati.