A new period in the history of the Split Jews began early in the 16th century. The great fire of 1506 in the southeastern part of the city hit the Romaniote (descendants of the Roman-era Jews) community hard and they left their location in the substructures of the former imperial residence, founding a new Jewish neighborhood in the area between the Iron Gate and the north-west tower of Diocletian’s Palace.
A medieval house abutting onto the outer side of the west wall of Diocletian’s Palace was turned into a synagogue in the Romaniote manner. By the eastern wall (turned toward Jerusalem) was the Aron Kodesh or Hekhal, or Torah ark. Alongside the opposite or western wall is the Bima or Teva the pulpit from which the Torah is read). To make it easier to keep up with the service that unfolded between these two poles, the congregation sat in benches that faced each other, arranged around the central axis. Later, the old manner of performing the service was abandoned, and a movable Bima in the shape of a wooden table was placed in front of the Hekhol, but the traditional arrangement of benches was retained. In 1728 the cramped synagogue was enlarged by the opening of wide arches in the wail onto the house on the northern side, where an enclosed space for women was arranged. In the 19th century, it acquired a gallery with a separate entrance. In the middle of the 20th century, the great damage inflicted on the synagogue in 1942 was repaired. An important renovation of the structure, roof, and interior was conducted in 1996, while in 2014 significant restoration works on the roof and facades were carried out.
