..., which became Giudecca few years later because of the presence of Jewish people (in Italian Giudei means Jewish).
Starting from 1298 the Government of Venice forbid them to live in the city, so a lot of Jewish started to move to the mainland, but the kept going with their business in the city centre and, in 1516, the Republic of Venice ordained that Jewish people had to live in the area of the Getto (its name comes from the business developed here, such as foundry for the army) which became really quick Ghetto and all over Europe this word was used for the same meaning.
So the Old Ghetto was built in the area of Cannaregio: from there nobody was allowed to exit or enter from the sunset to the sunrise, and the gates were always checked by equipped guards. But the population of this area grew in few years and soon the total amount reached 5000 people (we can still understand how busy it was looking at the 8 floors houses built at that time!!) so the Government decide to expand it, creating the New Ghetto (1516) and then the Newest Ghetto (1633).
During the age of the Republic Jewish people reached a high level in the business, they were important merchants, so the government decided to put some restrictions to stop their business, laws which were cancelled only during the Napoleonic age.
During the Second World War also the Venetian Jewish community suffered the unjustifiable Nazis holocaust and around 200 people were taken to the work fields where they died.
Nowadays the area of the Ghetto is still well conserved and few hundreds Jewish people still live in there.
Walking through the calli we can not miss the 5 synagogues, one for each Jewish confession whose were settled in Venice in the anxiety: German (1528), Canton (1532), Levantina (1538), Spanish (1555) and Italian (1575). Very important and rich of things to see is the Jewish Museum in New Ghetto Campo, founded on 1953 by the Jewish Community of Venice.
Finally we give a little suggestion, do not miss the Jewish confectionery typical from here, such as Orecchiette di Amman (filled with fruit), Bisce (with their characteristic “S” shape), Zuccherini and Azime Dolci (doughnut shape).
