Urban Jewish heritage and its (in)visibility: perspectives from Navarre, Spain

Abstract

ABSTRACT Throughout the Middle Ages, Jewish quarters, known as juderías, were vibrant spaces in Navarrese cities and towns. However, although Jewish past significantly contributed to Navarre's historical identity and has occupied an important place in regional historiography, Jewish heritage has only recently awakened interest in historians, archaeologists and local councils. This article aims to carry out case studies of three different juderías, specifically in Tudela, Estella and Pamplona, as cultural and tourist assets and discuss the weaknesses and strengths of their touristic potential. Tudela has been making use of this potential for several years now, while Estella only rather recently began to explore the diverse ways of taking advantage of its latent qualities. On the contrary, to date, Pamplona seems to have totally ignored the Jewish component of its medieval past. This article argues that the (in)visibility of Jewish heritage is an apt indicator of the recognition that supply-side stakeholders give this cultural and touristic asset.