The Jewish presence in Mondovi appears to date back to the end of the 16th century, and they played an active part in the town’s economic life. Among them was Donato Levi, who founded the Mondovi Bank in 1820. Other areas of activity included silk, ceramics and metalworking. The small Jewish community disappeared at the turn of the 20th century, with the last rabbi officiating there until 1905.

In 1980, the architect David Cassuto, assisted by members of the Turin Jewish community, restored the Mondovi synagogue. This led to the discovery of some very old documents, including a ketubah dating back to 1750.

The small synagogue of Mondovi is a jewel of Piedmontese Baroque architecture, more harmonious overall than that of the nearby administrative center Cuneo. A balustrade surrounds the octagonal-carved wooden bimah in the center of the hall. Illuminated by five large crystal lamps, the right wall is decorated with fourteen trompe l’oeil windows crowned with Hebrew verses that face the eighteenth-century aron.