The House of Justa Fernandes is an approximate point of crypto-Jewish memory in Bragança. It is associated with inquisitorial testimony from the late sixteenth century and with the family network of Diogo Gonçalves, known as “o Belfo.” The reference concerns the house of Justa Fernandes and her husband, Estêvão Cardoso, in the area of Rua Direita. However, the exact building cannot be securely identified today.

A Domestic Place of Crypto-Jewish Memory

In the inquisitorial process of Diogo Gonçalves, witnesses stated that many Marranos of Bragança gathered in the house of Justa Fernandes “in synagogue.” The accusation described her as knowledgeable in the “Law of Moses” and as someone who taught it to others. The same testimonies refer to gatherings connected with fasting, prayer, and declarations of Jewish identity.

Inquisitorial Evidence and Caution

These records must be read with caution. They come from the Inquisition and reflect accusation, interrogation, fear, and coercion. For this reason, they cannot be treated as neutral descriptions of Jewish life. Even so, they are important because they show how crypto-Jewish practice in Bragança was remembered as domestic, family-based, and organized around private houses rather than public institutions.

The House of Justa Fernandes Today

The House of Justa Fernandes should therefore be marked only as a place of crypto-Jewish memory connected to Rua Direita and to the inquisitorial process of Diogo Gonçalves. It should not be presented as a confirmed surviving house, nor as a preserved Jewish building.