PAVIA AND OLTREPÒ
For those who want to travel over the complete itinerary we advise you to go by car, so as to also enjoy the beautiful hills of Oltrepò Pavese. Pavia, alone, deserves a visit of a day or more, and it is easily accessible by train with the railway link from several subway stations of Milan such as Garibaldi, Repubblica, or Porta Venezia.
IN PAVIA A LIVELY RABBINICAL CENTRE IN THE SETTING OF A LEARNED UNIVERSITY
Located 34 km from Milan, Pavia is an ancient university centre, at the confluence of the Ticino and the Po. With a Jewish presence already reported in the Lombard period (year one thousand), it was a flourishing center of rabbinical studies in 1500. There were several synagogues, the last one right next to the church of Santa Maria Gualtieri, then also in the parish of San Giovanni Domnarum in a private house. A suburban area used as a burial ground is located between Porta Garibaldi and the former slaughterhouse. Jewish life took place around Strada Nuova. Jews were expelled definitively in 1597. The Duomo is worth a visit (Lombard Renaissance), as is the Piazza della Vittoria with the Broletto (XII cent.), today the Town Hall. The neo-classical building of the University is interesting. Near Porta Milano, not to be missed is the Visconteo Castle and San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro. Factual note: Pavia is now a Jewish surname.
JEWISH MONEY-LENDERS IN THE VOGHERA COUNTRYSIDE
Voghera is a town of Oltrepò Pavese on the Staffora river, 80 km from Milan. Historical documents reveal the presence of the Jewish bank of Angelo di Abramo at Porta San Pietro in 1435, and some news until 1488. To be visited the Collegiata di San Lorenzo (1605) and the Visconteo Castle (1367-1372), used for many years as a prison. In the former Vittorio Emanuele’s cavalry barracks it is stated the Museo Civico and the Museo del Fante. Factual note: Voghera is now a Jewish surname.
THE JEWISH TREASURER PASSING THROUGH BRONI, IN OLTREPÒ PAVESE
55 km from Milan, Broni is a small town in Oltrepò Pavese. In 1458 documents reveal the illustrious presence of the banker Joseph, treasurer of the Jews of the Duchy and ducal collector. An absolute must is a visit to the medieval old town centre, superimposed on the original Roman nucleus formed along the Roman road Emilia Scaura (109 BC). The Town Hall (1857), the old San Contardo hotel, and the Collegiate Church (1547, rebuilt in 1885) face Piazza Garibaldi.
