The Synagogue of Ben Ezra

The Synagogue of Ben Ezra was originally a church. However, it needed to be sold to pay the annual taxes imposed on the church by the government in 882 A.D. The synagogue is named after Abraham Ben Ezra who bought the church for a sum of 20,000 dinars. The basilican structure with a nave and two aisles is still recognizable. The synagogue has become famous for its Geniza, an archive of ancient Jewish manuscripts, comprising thousands of rare manuscripts.