Synagogue of Córdoba Wall Decoration
One of the three best preserved synagogues in Spain, the Synagogue of Córdoba was constructed in 1314-15, perhaps as a private study hall or prayer room. During the Middle Ages, Córdoba was home to a flourishing Jewish community, the most famous member of which was Maimonides (1138-1204), a Torah scholar, philosopher, astronomer, and medic. He benefited from the Arabic translations of Greek texts available in the intellectual center of Córdoba, but a policy of forced conversion to Islam forced his family into exile. The precise status and attitude towards Jews in Córdoba under Islamic rule have been fiercely debated by scholars.