MONTJUIC - MOUNTAIN OF THE JEWS


That's right, you heard it for the first time here on multimadrid, that the fabulous and extremely well known & popular little mountain in sunny Barcelona, was originally a medieval Jewish cemetery. I just saw an article in the Jewish chronicle, sent over to me by my dad from London, and was reminded that one of my favorite little hang-outs in Barcelona for donkeys years "Montjuic" was once long ago consecrated, (holy ground) for the Jewish Spanish people of Barcelona, and I had almost forgotten this, but have always been so drawn to this part of the city, and have spent many a time wandering around up there, have got Zillions of fotos from there and lots of good memories to go with them, in fact, every time I arrive in Barca, I nearly always head for Montjuic very soon after unpacking, the Mediterranean air up there is gorgeous, and the view over the city is breath taking.

But anyway, back to the cemetery topic, I'm just going to put in some links here and let you check it out, some of the info is quite amazing indeed, and makes for some really absorbing reading, I was up all night last night going through it all, and still went out & did business all day today.....

Okay, so here it is,

BARCELONA:
The Hall of Archives in the Provincial Archaeological Museum was constructed from tombstones taken from abandoned Jewish cemeteries, the Hebrew inscriptions still visible.

* Parc de Montjuch: Overlooking the western section of Barcelona is Montjuich ("Mountain of the Jews" in Catalan) named for the 11th and 12th century extensive Jewish property holdings. Along that slope is the ancient century Jewish cemetery abandoned after the massacres of 1391 and a 12th-century hilltop fortress, now a public park. Some tombstones are in a special room of the Historical Museum of Barcelona in the city's Old Gothic quarter. Source: Israelowitz, Oscar. Guide to Jewish Europe. Brooklyn, NY: Israelowitz Publishing, 1995, p. 288-9. [October 2000]


Jewish Barcelona
http://www.bcn.es/turisme/english/turisme/rutes/jueva_int_fr.htm

The Jewish Week
http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/newscontent.php3?artid=5276&print=yes

Urban Cultours jewish heritage tours & programs in Barcelona and Catalonia
http://www.urbancultours.com/Pages/eng/programs_tours.html

Jewish History Resource Center -
http://www.dinur.org/resources/resourceCategoryDisplay....ategoryid=794&rsid=0


TheTravelzine.com Barcelona 2006
http://www.thetravelzine.com/Barcelona2006.htm

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resn...IN+BARCELONA&spell=1

Montjuic in Barcelona Spain - Google Search
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=Montjuic+in+Barc...=Google+Search&meta=


The Other Valley of the Fallen (el valle de los caidos, Barcelona)
http://www.thezephyr.com/archives/bradybcn.htm



Sadly, as we all now know centuries later, they were almost entirely wiped out by the Spanish Inquisition, those who weren't were converted and assimilated into Spanish/Catholic-Christian society, and ultimately their Jewish roots totally forgotten. That means some Catalan people have got Jewish blood in them, whether they like it or not, and you've only got to look a little closer at some of them, and you can see it.....

Anyway, I hope you will enjoy reading up on this subject, I have, immensely so, there is so much more to find out about Spain and it's many historical skeletons & medieval massacres, it is fascinating, albeit a bit horrific to find out certain things, but just the same, quite fascinating, at least to those of us who are interested in Spanish history.

Saludos.

Just a few extra links that I thought I might as well throw in, as they are extremely interesting/fascinating, the detail contained within these pages is incredible, covering the entire history of Spain's long Jewish history. But you know, so much focus of attention has been heaped upon the Moorish history already, in schools, colleges and universities, like everybody knows something about the Moors, but I find not so many know much about the Spanish Jews, or what the true purpose of the Inquisition was, (like as if anybody really cares that much, anyway!!!

So, here are a few more enlaces to get into, and I sincerely hope that you will, and enjoy too.


Jewish and Kosher Spain - More Jewish Spain Links
http://www.kosherdelight.com/SpainJewishLinks.htm

Jewish and Kosher Spain - Jewish History
http://www.kosherdelight.com/SpainJewishHistory.htm

Jews of Spain
http://www.haruth.com/JewsSpain.html

Magical Spain Jewish heritage Trip, Sephardic Jewish Trips
http://www.magicalspain.com/tours/jewish_frameset.htm

Jewish History Source book: The Expulsion from Spain, 1492 CE
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/jewish/1492-jews-spain1.html

On Discovering my Jewish Heritage - Rev Antonio Hernandez
http://www.hackwriters.com/zion2.htm

Marranos - Crypto-Jews
http://www.haruth.com/JewsMarranos.html


MAIN LINKS HERE;;;

JEWISH SPAIN - Google Search
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=JEWISH+SPAIN&btnG=Google+Search&meta=


Salud y Suerte

Angelo