THE JEWISH GHETTO OF VENICE
In 1516 was created the first Jewish ghetto of Europe: the one of Venice. Its institution was ordered by “The Ten Council”, a government agency that took care of the city’s security. In this zone lived all Venetian Jewish people and they had to stay here from sunset to dawn. The zone was closed by gates kept under surveillance by guards. At that time Jewish people was able to practice only some works, so they were doctors, pawnbrokers, merchants and ragmen. The ghetto was opened only in 1797, when Napoleon conquered Venice and freed the Jewish citizens.
The maximum number of Jewish people in this ghetto was of almost 5000 persons, which reduced to 1000 because of Second World War.