The Jewish imprint in the Cinco Villas is distributed through much of the region with a magnificent State of conservation in their vast majority. We can find examples in municipalities as Ejea de los Caballeros (neighborhood of the Crown), Sos del Rey Católico, Tauste, Luna, Luesia, Uncastillo (new district), El Frago and Biel (district green) exhibit the Sephardic past in the various Jewish born during the SS. XI and XII.
The aljamas or Jewish quarters are known but the visitor may have no idea of it, that don’t even exist, if however several populations through its streets announce us that they were inhabited Moors and Jews.
We propose a journey through the main Jewish quarters of the region, so that helped by indications that there are in the municipalities know the way of life of this important community.
SOS DEL REY CATÓLICO
The Jewish quarter of Sos is crossed by a street, roads leading to part of the town and alleys that are lost within the own neighborhood (such as for example the street «sal si puedes») leave from it. Square skillet is a picturesque place within this neighborhood that is credited with this name to maintain a similarly to the skillet. The doors of many houses can discover that luck ran the inhabitants of these houses when the expulsion of the Jews was carried out, simply we can observe a cross and the stuffy mezuzah, that means inhabitant is converted to Christianity thus erasing his past.
TAUSTE started our tour of Tauste.
We find the Jewish quarter in the environment of the streets of San Bartolomé, Pedro IV of Aragón and López Arbizu. There lived the Jews before the final expulsion in 1492. Walking these streets still you can see the façade of the building which was the synagogue, next to the small chapel of San Bartolomé. Between them there is a townhouse years later, but once should be a gallizo whereby it is accessed to the synagogue. It is believed the 6 arches that are preserved in the façade and others that no longer exist to represent the 12 tribes of Israel.
EJEA DE LOS CABALLEROS
The Jewish quarter is located where now currently is the area of the Crown. He was one of the most important centres with a population of nearly 300 Jews and the fifth Aljama of Aragon. Today being a historic recovery project, as well as the implementation underway of an interpretation centre on medicine and Jewish medieval astrology and that serve to turn director Center on the other Jewish quarters that exist in the region.
THE FRAGO
Ejea we left and headed to the Frago. In this municipality has also been reflected above all Jewish traces in its streets and the funerary tombstone of Rabbi Jacob which can be seen in one of its streets.
BIEL
The Jewish quarter of Biel is located north of the population from the low square and occupied what is now the Green District. Within the Cinco Villas, this was the second in importance after the de Ejea, since more than half of the population who lived at the beginning of the 15th century was Jewish.
It had two main centers, social which was the shopping area and the space where they were celebrated holidays, this area would correspond with the Caudevilla square and another zone for acts religious located at the Green Street neighborhood where the synagogue stood. As a curiosity, the different processions that are currently held at Biel, won’t ñfor the neighborhood Green Street, thus making a tour strange because according to tradition can not pass ahead of «the Church of the Jews».
UNCASTILLO
The location of the Jewish quarter in Uncastillo initially was in the vicinity of the Peña Ayllón, originally from the Castle settlement. But gradually the Jewish population was down the alleys to the backbone through the street Barrionuevo. The district was bounded through portals that were closed at night or in case of danger. Don’t forget to observe cleavage that is carved most of the jambs of the doors where stood the mezuzah which contained the versified text of the semah, now in many buildings are being replaced by crosses. The cemetery was outside the walls, while the funeral procession had the Christian quarter. To view the remains remaining cemetery we cross the bridge of Barrionuevo and reach the sports complex of the municipality.