Lamego is famous for its ancient foundations, dating back to Roman times, as well as its 13th-century castle and magnificent cathedral. It was here that the first Portuguese parliament was established.
The Jewish presence is also quite old, dating back at least to the 14th century, when they lived between the castle and the church of Santa Maria. Those who lived there in the early 15th century enjoyed relative freedom, living in Jewish quarters but free to move about and in constant contact with the general population. The old Jewish quarter was located in the vicinity of today’s Rua Nova. The synagogue was probably located in this street, which today features an ogival portal. The more recent Jewish quarter was located next to Campo do Tavolado.
The Jews played an active part in the city’s dynamism in the fields of commerce and crafts, but also in the administrative management of the city and in medicine, in the image of Jacob Valencim, the court’s famous ophthalmologist.
Sources : Encyclopaedia Judaica, Rede de Judiarias