Judenplatz (Jewish Square) is located not far from the Great Synagogue of Vienna. This is where Jewish life in the city essentially began around the year 1150 CE. Until the 15th century, about 800 Jews lived in this area, working as merchants, bankers, and scholars. The Jewish houses were built close to one another, creating a ghetto-like area accessible through only four gates. Judenplatz had a hospital, a synagogue, a mikvah (ritual bath), the rabbi’s house, and a Jewish school. When the school was active, the square served as its playground, which is why it was called “Schulhof,” meaning “schoolyard.” It was only from 1437 that the square began to be called Judenplatz.
In 1420, under the rule of Duke Albrecht V, the Jews suffered from severe decrees and pogroms. Many were imprisoned, tortured, and executed or forcibly baptized. The poor Jews were expelled, and the wealthy were imprisoned. Those who remained free were forced to hide and fortify themselves in the “Or Zaru’a” synagogue that stood in the square. After a three-day siege and severe hunger, they were all forced to commit suicide. It is told that the community’s rabbi, Rabbi Yonah, set the synagogue on fire with its occupants inside so they would die as martyrs. The remaining 200 Jews were accused of heinous crimes and burned alive (in the area where the Erdberg bus station is today). The Duke decided there was no place for Jews in Austria, confiscated all their property and homes, and took the stones of the destroyed synagogue to build the old University of Vienna (this university no longer exists). Despite the Duke’s efforts to eradicate the Jews from Vienna, a new ghetto grew in the second district, Leopoldstadt.
There are two “souvenirs” from this terrible period in the square:
- One is a 15th-century plaque (which still hangs) on the far side of the square. The sign is on a building called Jordanhaus and reads in Latin: “The Jordan River cleanses the body of diseases, evil, and sins. Therefore, in 1421 the streets of the city burned to testify to the terrible crimes of the Jewish dogs.”
- The second souvenir is the remains of the synagogue that was destroyed during the pogroms, which now serves as a museum. Additionally, there is a memorial for the Holocaust and a statue of the writer and philosopher Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, who was a good friend of the German-Jewish philosopher Moses Mendelssohn.
Museum Judenplatz – Mizrachi House
Archaeological excavations in the square in 1995 uncovered the remains of the ancient synagogue, and in 2000, the Museum Judenplatz was opened as a branch of the main Jewish Museum of Vienna. The museum features an exhibition on the life of the Jewish community from the 14th century. The display focuses on the development of the local community and the daily lives of its members. As part of the exhibition, there is a virtual tour through the streets of the Jewish quarter, and you can see many artifacts that illustrate Jewish life during this period. Besides the exhibition, you can see the foundations of the synagogue that were discovered during the archaeological digs.
Essential Information for Visiting the Museum Judenplatz
Opening Hours:
- Sunday – Thursday: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Friday: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Saturday and holidays: Closed
Costs (The ticket is valid for both branches of the Jewish Museum):
- Adult: €15
- Child (up to age 19): Free
- Student: €11
- Free admission with the Vienna Pass.
Official Website of the Jewish Museum
The Memorial to the Austrian Jewish Victims of the Holocaust
In the center of Judenplatz stands a large memorial commemorating the 65,000 Austrian Jews who perished in the Holocaust. The memorial was designed by the British artist Rachel Whiteread in the form of an inverted library with many shelves full of unreadable books. The memorial was installed in the square in 2001. At the base of the memorial, the names of the many camps used for the extermination of Jews during the Holocaust are inscribed.
How to Get to Judenplatz?
From the Schwedenplatz subway station (lines U1 and U4), it is about a 10-minute walk. From the Great Synagogue, it is about a 6-minute walk through the ancient streets of the old Jewish quarter.
Museum Address:
Judenplatz 8, 1010 Wien
Map:
Read more about the Jewish community in Vienna and other Jewish sites throughout the city.
