Jewish courtyard

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Speyer in Germany was the hometown of one of the most important Jewish communities in middle ages in northern Europe. Bishop Hutzmann and Salic emperor Henry IV encouraged Jewish refugees from Mainz to the foundation of a Jewish community by facilitating them.

This community existed until the beginning of the 16th century. The exact time and circumstances of the destruction are unknown.

The Jewish courtyard was the central area of the Jewish quarter in Speyer and consisted of the synagogues for men and women as well as the Mikvah, for ritual washing.

The first documented mention of this Mikvah was in 1126 and its subterranean components have been nearly unmodified for centuries.

Coordinates: 49°18′58″N 8°26′23″E / 49.31611, 8.43972