Venice was once covered in small gardens, even in the Ghetto where space was at a premium. Behind the Scola Spagnola, for more than 300 years stood an orchard filled with fig, olive and pomegranate trees, and vines binding them all together. The trees planted there were all symbolic to Judaism – the community would use the fruit in festivities.
In 2018, the space was replanted with a “secret garden” filled with plants, trees and herbs mentioned in the Old Testament. The reborn space, as the area starts to prize its heritage once more, makes a fitting end to the synagogue tours – guides leave you here for private contemplation.
