The Casa da História Judaica de Elvas is located at Rua dos Açougues 4-6, in the area of the former Judiaria Velha of Elvas. The building was formerly the municipal slaughterhouse and is today interpreted in connection with the medieval Jewish presence in the city.

The Casa da História Judaica de Elvas

The first phase of the project opened in September 2017. The museum space was completed and opened to the public on 13 April 2019, after the rehabilitation of the former Açougue Municipal. The work was promoted by the Municipality of Elvas, with support from EEA Grants.

The building is presented as the probable site of the great medieval synagogue of Elvas. This identification is not proven. It is based on the building’s position inside the Judiaria Velha, its large Gothic naves, the presence of nearby water structures, and the later conversion of the space into a slaughterhouse.

Synagogue Hypothesis and Building Evidence

The hypothesis remains significant because the transformation of former Jewish communal spaces after 1497 is documented in several Portuguese towns. In Elvas, the location of a slaughterhouse in the old Jewish quarter has been interpreted as part of this post-conversion urban history.

Inside, the Casa da História Judaica de Elvas presents the history of the Jewish and New Christian community of the city. The exhibition includes a recreated synagogue space and sections on local Jewish life, communal functions, and families connected to Elvas, including the Correio-Mor, Botafogo and Orta families.

Visible elements include the large interior columns, medieval architectural features, a Manueline window in an adjoining space, and remains of a cistern associated with the historical interpretation of the building.