İZMİR PROVINCIAL DIRECTORATE OF CULTURE AND TOURISM

Signora Giveret Synagogue

Signora Giveret Synagogue is located on Havra Street in the parcel which faces Anafartalar Street and 927 Street. It is very close to Algaze and Shalom. The synagogue, which was known to have been built by Donna Gracia Mendes between the years of 1510 and 1569, was severely damaged during the 1841 fire and was rebuilt by the Yeruşalmi family with a central plan. The main place of the synagogue is reached from a terrace elevated by five steps from the courtyard. It was originally built with a centeral plan. The new plan scheme, which started to be implemented with the Italian influence in the 20th century, was also tried in the Signora Giveret Synagogue; the tevya, which had been portable, was lifted to hekal wall and combined as a whole with the tora cabinet.  The rows of seats were transformed into linear form just like the interior arrangements of the churches. Today, synagogue has a linear plan. Mehizah, which is located on the entrance hall opening to the main space, can be reached from the courtyard. This space was separated by half-timber cages and positioned as a mezzanine opposite the hekal wall. The structure is two storeyed. The walls were built as stone masonry. The roof is wooden hipped roof. The ceilings and floor coverings are made of wood. Signora Giveret Synagogue has a large courtyard and the walls of this courtyard are built so massive and high that the synagogue cannot be seen from the street. There are single storeyed additional outbuildings in the garden of the synagogue. The interior is adorned with bronze flowers surrounded by green geometric forms on the ceiling, with burgundy drapes decorating the tevya and tora cupboard, and with burgundy colored cushions on the seating rows.