If you want to visit the Lisbon synagogue in the São Mamede quarter, you’ll need its exact address. Opened in 1904, the temple is indistinguishable from the street, built at a time when it was forbidden for any faith or religion other than the Catholic Church to be openly visible. Its construction combines Roman, Byzantine and Romantic elements and is austere in style, with the temple built facing in the direction of Jerusalem. The columns supporting the galleries highlight the bimah and desk, which identifies the place of celebration. See also the Ark, where the Torah scrolls are kept. If you want to learn more about Jewish culture and its impact on Lisbon, take a tour organised by the Jewish Community of Lisbon which visit the old Jewish quarters and the surviving traces of the old Alfama Synagogue. It’s well worth learning about the presence and influence of this community in Lisbon.