World Heritage Identification Number: 1656
World Heritage since: 2023
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Buildings & Architectural Ensembles
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇩🇪 Germany
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt: Preserving the History of Coexistence in Central Europe
The Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt, located in the heart of the medieval historic center of Erfurt, Thuringia, Germany, is a testament to the rich history of Jewish culture and coexistence with Christian communities in Central Europe during the Middle Ages. This significant site, inscribed onto the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023, encompasses three monumental structures: the Old Synagogue, the Mikveh, and the Stone House.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Located in the medieval historic centre of Erfurt, the capital city of Thuringia, the property comprises three monuments: the Old Synagogue, the Mikveh, and the Stone House. They illustrate the life of the local Jewish community and its coexistence with a Christian majority in Central Europe during the Middle Ages, between the end of the 11th and the mid-14th century.UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (iv): The Old Synagogue, the Mikveh and the Stone House of Erfurt are an early and rare testimony to Jewish religious and secular architecture from the Middle Ages in Central Europe. The buildings illustrate the conformity with vernacular architecture and adaptation to local conditions and thus reflect the coexistence with a predominantly Christian society and the heyday of Jewish life in Central Europe’s medieval Erfurt until the wave of pogroms of the mid-14th century.
Encyclopedia Record: Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt
The Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt is a series of buildings in the Old Town part of Erfurt, Germany, recognized as an item of Jewish cultural heritage. It was inscribed into the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites in Germany in 2023. It includes Erfurt's Old Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in Europe; the Erfurt Mikveh, a mikveh that was only rediscovered in 2007; and the Stone House, a 13th century residential building in Jewish ownership until present times.Additional Site Details
Area: Not available
Number of Components: 3
Coordinates: 50.9786638889 , 11.0292333333
Image
© Michael Sander, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
World Heritage Research
Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.
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Das Jüdisch-Mittelalterliche Erbe in Erfurt auf der Welterbeliste
On September 17, 2023, the Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt achieved UNESCO World Heritage status, marking a significant milestone after decades of research. This recognition was driven by intensified studies into the history and material evidence of Erfurt's medieval Jewish community, which not only prepared the groundwork for the application but also deepened scholarly understanding during the evaluation process. The inscription underscores the importance of continued research to preserve and interpret this heritage, ensuring its cultural significance is maintained for future generations.
Stürzebecher, M. (2024). Das Jüdisch-Mittelalterliche Erbe in Erfurt auf der Welterbeliste. Aschkenas, 34(1), 187–212. https://doi.org/10.1515/asch-2024-2010
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