Redefining the project over the ancient Jewish cemetery

During this part of the process, we contacted local and international experts in different disciplines, receiving the best advice in aspects of the tradition as well as technical on heritage, hallachah, protection of ancient cemeteries, archaeology, documentation, legislation, cultural management.

Designation as National Landmark / Historic Site

Follow our request, landmark status was granted by the Catalan government on June 2006. Thus, the old Jewish cemetery on Montjuïc was declared a Cultural Site of National Interest, Historical Site (according to Law 9/1993).
We have also defined the criteria for use of cemetery sites, according to the Jewish tradition, for this specific landmark.

Landmark designation document

       Media (in its original language)

Call is a Catalan word that, in the middle ages, referred to the neighborhoods where the Jewish population lived.

In January 2007, the city government informed us of their preparation of a guide and signage for the Call. We submitted revisions to the material but, unfortunately, production had begun. We hope that in a future edition our contributions will be included.

In June 2006 the city government began to restore an old house that, according to oral tradition, is from the 13 or 14 century, but archaeological reports dated it from after the 16 century. Once finished, the building will be a “center of interpretation of the Call”.

We were invited to do periodic site visit to follow up the work. In November same year, the mark of a mezuzah was found when opening up a blocked door. Based on this discovery we that the historical report of the house be updated. Due to the interest of this finding, the archaeological control, analysis and study of all the construction elements was intensified.

As a result, the mezuzah mark will be “integrated” in the building’s history and a better façade treatment was chosen, leaving a great part as exposed stone rather than the plain plaster finish of the initial project.

       Media (in its original language)