Tucked away on a quiet cobbled street in the historic centre, the Sinagoga de Tomar is a special piece of Jewish history. Built between 1430 and 1460, it stands proudly as the only pre-Renaissance, medieval Jewish temple in Portugal to survive completely intact.

It is truly fascinating to step into its square, Gothic hall, where four elegant central columns support the vaulted ceiling. Most of the temple has been remodelled; however, some of the original pieces can still be seen in the corners of the structure.

The temple's life was cut short in 1496 when a royal decree forced the conversion or expulsion of the nation's Jews. For the next four centuries, the building endured a varied, secular history, operating sequentially as a prison, a Christian chapel, a hayloft, and a grocery warehouse.

Classified as a National Monument in 1921, the restored space was later donated to the state to become a museum housing a vast collection of medieval Hebrew tombstones. Still active today as an educational and cultural landmark, it remains a monument to resilience.