Don’t let a lack of fluency in Spanish keep you from enjoying online content about the history of our family. I use the Google Chrome browser and Google Translate to seamlessly read and translate articles like this one.

Within Cariñena there lies some history I’m still coming to understand that revolve around the complex history of the Christians, Jews, and Muslims who have populated the Iberian peninsula. There is an old synagogue mostly below ground under the buildings along Calle Mayor (Main St). It is now the church Iglesia Santo Cristo de Santiago, part of the parish of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción in the village that recently received a lot of use while the main church was undergoing repairs and restoration.

In the northwest part of the town there is a street “Olivos” where, apparently, a synagogue used to be located a few hundred years ago.

It’s interesting to get to know Cariñena. There’s still a lot to learn.

I return to Cariñena this summer. To be continued.