Palace of the Mount of Piety (Crema)

History

The earliest known document attesting to a Jewish presence is rather late compared to neighboring cities (Soncino, Cremona) and dates back to the year 1447, when Crema had become a possession of the brief Ambrosian Republic and the city government asked the new captains from Milan to confirm the facilities towards Jews already granted by the Duke of Milan, an indication that the community, however, had already been settled there for some time.

Beginning in the year 1450, when Crema became a possession of the Republic of Venice, a series of regulations known as conducts were established to govern the lives of the Jewish community. These conducts were revised several times and outlined various aspects of life for the Jews, including the interest rates they were allowed to charge in their primary activity of lending money and their relationships with other citizens. Initially, the regulations were relatively lenient, but they gradually became more restrictive. For example, there was a requirement for Jews to sew a yellow star onto their clothing as a means of identification.

The Jews of Crema, who settled in the Contrada del Ghirlo, asked the city's Grand Council in 1468 to open a synagogue, even accepting an increase in the annual census, but the Doge of Venice denied permission.

The tombstone with Hebrew characters is now on display at the Civic Museum of Crema and the Cremasque.

It is established, however, that Jews were allowed to maintain a cemetery, although its exact location remains unknown, and it was likely situated outside the city walls. Canobio, in the 19th century, mentioned the discovery of a gravestone but did not provide details about its location or purpose. More notably, in 1960, a gravestone was found on a property owned by Vimercati Sanseverino, and it was in good condition. The inscription, written in Hebrew characters, mentions Aaron Moses, son of Lacov Levi, who died in Brescia on the second day of Tishrei in the year 251 of the minor era. He was buried in Crema, and this date corresponds to 17 September in the Gregorian calendar year of 1490.

There is no definitive source indicating when the Jewish community left Crema. …

Features

The palace has a facade that is highly developed in height and divided by nine pilasters of Ionic order resting on a high pedestal. Two orders of windows protected by wrought-iron grilles open between the pilasters, with the only difference, on the ground floor, being the entrance portal profiled in terracotta surmounted by the inscription MONS PIETATIS and a mirror with traces of a fresco depicting La Pietà.

The pilasters culminate in Corinthian-style terracotta capitals supporting a string-course cornice with corbels. Within this cornice, rectangular windows align with the lower openings.