The excavations
Parts of the original building.
Pedro P. Palazzo — CC BY-SA 3.0 · User:Dantadd — CC BY-SA 2.5 · Lais Castro — CC BY-SA 4.0
Kahal Zur Israel is a history museum on the site of the first synagogue built in the Americas, on Rua do Bom Jesus in Recife Antigo, a street once called the Street of the Jews. It was founded in 1636 by Sephardic Jews from Portugal and Spain who had taken refuge in Dutch Brazil to escape forced conversion, and at its height the community numbered some 1,450 people. When the Dutch surrendered to the Portuguese in 1654, most of the community left the colony; the building stood until the early 20th century, when it was torn down. Archaeological digs later confirmed the site, and in 2001 a museum opened in a house rebuilt on the same spot. The museum shows the excavations that uncovered parts of the original building, among them the old ritual bath, and a hall recreated in the style of 17th- and 18th-century synagogues, with an exhibition on the community's history. Guided visits in Portuguese and English can be booked ahead.
Parts of the original building.
In 17th-century style.
The old Street of the Jews.
Rua do Bom Jesus 197, Bairro do Recife
Paço do FrevoThe Paço do Frevo is a museum and cultural centre devoted to frevo, Recife's fas1 minute walk4.8
Recife Antigo and Marco ZeroRecife Antigo is the district where the city was born, today an island where the2 minutes walk4.6
Forte das Cinco Pontas (Recife City Museum)Forte das Cinco Pontas, the Fort of the Five Points, was built by the Dutch in 119 minutes walk4.5Tuesday to Friday 9:00-17:00 and Sunday 11:00-18:00; closed Saturday and Monday. The ticket is about R$40.