The necropolis was discovered on October 20, 2006, during the construction works of the new Ronda Sur in Lucena. A citizen who was walking along the Hacho hill with his dog discovered that it was carrying a human femur in its mouth. After alerting the police and the municipal archaeologist, the discovery of a Jewish cemetery was certified, dating from between the years 1000 and 1050, a period of great splendor for Jewish culture in Lucena, when the city was known as Eli Ossana, the "Pearl of Sefarad."
In total, 346 tombs were found, of which 196 contained human remains facing Jerusalem. Among the findings was the skeleton of a man who measured between 2 and 2.20 meters, an unusual height for the time, possibly due to gigantism. These remains were studied by the University of Granada. In addition, a rare Jewish tombstone, dating from the 8th to 9th centuries, with Hebrew inscriptions, was discovered and is currently on display at the Lucena Interpretation Centre. This tombstone was analysed by the doctor in Semitic Philology Jordi Casanovas Miró.
The exhumation of the bodies provoked complaints from the Jewish community, including a demonstration during the visit of the former Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos to the UN, promoted by the Israeli government. In response, in December 2011 it was decided to re-inter the remains according to the Jewish ritual, with the support of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain, thus maintaining the site as a sacred site.
To open the site to the public, a perimeter fence was built, a wailing wall was built and information panels were installed about the Talmudic school and the Sephardic community in Spain and Lucena. Four types of tombs were recreated, representing the different burial methods found at the site: inhumation, single or double pit, and with a niche or lateral cave covered with Roman slabs or tiles. After these interventions, the necropolis was opened to the public on September 27, 2013, being one of the few Jewish necropolises that can be visited in Spain along with those of Segovia and Plasencia.
Interpretation Center
In September 2023, 21,000 euros were awarded for the construction of a prefabricated structure that houses a space for public attention, a projection room and a toilet. This interpretation center allows visitors to learn more about the history and importance of the Jewish Necropolis of Lucena, as well as the life of the Sephardic community in the region.
Adults
Free
Children (3-7years)
Free
-2 years
Free
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