Origin and Formation of Jewish Ghetto in the Middle Age Venice

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the origin and formation of Jewish ghetto and provide its geographical and historical backgrounds. By analyzing ancient literature and maps, this study presents how Jews were segregated, and the first ghetto, as a segregated Jewish residential area, was formed. In the Middle Age Venice, there was a widespread prejudice about Jews that their poor sanitation was the source of many transmitted diseases. From the reason, Jewish people were considered as contaminants or even evil beings in Christian majority. As a result, segregation was practiced to Jewish society in the form of ghetto. The segregation was an idea devised and practiced by Venetians to coexist with Jews. Therefore, the segregation should be clearly differentiated from expulsion. Forming the first ghetto, Venetians forced out Jewish to Ghetto Nouvo and segregated Jewish from other Venice area in 1516. These initial Jewish ghettos were expanded into Ghetto Vecchio in 1541 and Ghetto Nouvissimo in 1633. The urban landscape of ghetto areas were changed as the places became segregated Jewish residential areas. Buildings lost fa？de and fancy decorations. Compact and high land uses caused poor sanitations in the areas. After all, combined with inferior landscapes and mediocre residential condit