Why is Pitigliano called the little Jerusalem?

Pitigliano is nicknamed the "little Jerusalem" because it once hosted a large Jewish community, whose presence deeply marked the town. From the XVI^e century onward, Jewish families fleeing restrictions in the Papal States and the ghettos of Tuscan cities like Florence and Siena settled there. Pitigliano first offered them a refuge, but this situation did not last: a ghetto was created there in 1622.

The name therefore refers to this history and not to a resemblance with Jerusalem. You can find traces of it in the old Jewish quarter, around Via Zuccarelli : synagogue, matzo bread oven and museum of Jewish culture. The Jewish cemetery can also be visited, but it is away from the historic center. The local community has greatly diminished, notably in the XIX^e century and then during the Second World War; the nickname therefore does not mean that a large community still lives there today. To walk through the quarter and visit the open sites, allow about 1 to 2 hours, depending on access and your pace.