Jewish Cemetery of Lisbon

Only our members, co-religionists and visitors with buried loved ones are allowed to visit

Location:

Rua Afonso III, 44 - Lisboa

Opening hours and visits:

Monday to Thursday: 8.30am to 12.30pm / 2pm to 5pm

Friday: 8.30am to 1.30pm

Sunday: 9.00am to 1.00pm

Contacts:

Tel: (+351) 21 814 85 61

History

In 1868, the Royal Permit from King D. Luís acknowledged “Jews from Lisbon the permission to establish a cemetery to bury and honor their co-religionists”. This is the Calçada das Lages Cemetery (presently known as Afonso III Cemetery), which is to this day an active cemetery and the main one of the Israeli Community of Lisbon. This Royal diploma has an historical importance, since it is an implicit, though non-formal, acknowledgement of the Israeli Community of Lisbon.

In 1892, the Civil Government License ratify the Statutes of the “Guemilut Hassadim Association, an Israeli brotherhood of mutual aid in extreme time and funerals”. It was created by Moses Anahory to ministering spiritual help, arrange burials, manage the two cemeteries (Rua Nova à Estrela and Calçada das Lages, today known as Av. Afonso III), and the death records.

Old Jewish Cemetery of Estrela

History

Several Jewish groups came to Portugal in early XIX Century, right before the Inquisition was officially abolished by the Revolutionary Government decree, dated March 31st, 1821.

This groups, coming mainly from Morocco and Gibraltar, settled in Lisbon, Azores and Faro (Algarve). The Jewish groups that came to Lisbon, coming mainly from Gibraltar, have cautiously kept their British citizenship.

In 1801, the community got a small land plot, in the English Cemetery of Estrela, to bury their dead loved ones according to the Jewish ritual. The first grave there belongs to José Amzalaga, departed in February 26th 1804, according to the engraved epitaph. Jews from Lisbon were buried there until 1865.