Great Synagogue and Jewish Museum of Rome: guided visit and opening hours
Rome's Great Synagogue (Tempio Maggiore), opened in 1904 on the Lungotevere de' Cenci, can only be visited with a ticket to the Jewish Museum of Rome, housed in the same building (entrance on via Catalana). The ticket covers the museum and a guided visit of the Tempio Maggiore; the full price is €12, and the site is closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours and expect a security check at the entrance.
Highlights
The Tempio Maggiore
Designed by the architects Vincenzo Costa and Osvaldo Armanni, the synagogue mixes Assyrian-Babylonian and Art Nouveau styles under a square-plan dome covered in aluminium, which is unique in the Roman skyline. You visit it with a guide, who explains the architecture and the history of the community.
The Spanish synagogue
Set up in 1932 in the same building, it received in 1948 the marble furnishings of the former Cinque Scole (the "five schools"), the synagogues of the ghetto.
The Jewish Museum
It displays ritual silverware, textiles and documents of Rome's Jewish community, which has lived in the city for more than two thousand years. An audioguide you download to your phone, with a French version, goes with the visit.
The Portico d'Ottavia
A few steps from the synagogue, this ancient portico opens the main street of the former ghetto. The nearby square, largo 16 ottobre 1943, recalls that day's roundup: read our guide to the Jewish ghetto.
Hours and prices
Full price €12; reduced €10 (agreements); students under 25 €6 with proof. Online booking adds a €1 fee and tickets are non-refundable. Sunday to Thursday: 10am-5pm from 1 to 26 October, with shorter hours in winter and until 6pm from 1 April to 30 September; Friday, 9am-2pm in winter and 10am-4pm from April to September.
Practical info
Tips
Modest dress is required in the synagogue: shoulders and knees covered. Expect a security check at the entrance and carry photo ID: the site is guarded at all times by the police. No visits on Saturday (Shabbat) or on Jewish holidays: check the calendar before you come, especially in September and October. For a tour of the quarter with a museum guide, book at least 5 days ahead. Hours and prices noted in our guide to the Jewish ghetto in October 2026; confirm them on the museum's website.
How to get there
Lungotevere de' Cenci / via Catalana, 00186 Rome, facing Tiber Island. Buses 23, 63 and 280 stop in front of the synagogue; on foot, allow 10 minutes from Piazza Venezia and 5 minutes from the Theatre of Marcellus.
Opening hours
Nearby
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