Since the 14th century the Jews from the important town of Lamego occupied the area between the Castle and the “Santa Maria de Almacave” church. In the next century there were already two Jewish quarters; the oldest was located near to the “Sun door” and the new one near the churchyard.
In this quarter was located the synagogue in the old “Rua da Esnoga”. In 1436, were about 400 inhabitants in those two areas.
Despite the religious catholic importance in Lamego, that number is very important. From D. Duarte’s reign, the two quarters were closed by doors placed for that purpose. Those doors were respectively located in the street that open to the Square Trade and in one that open to the “Almacave’s” churchyard.

The current “Rua Nova” corresponded to the first case (plus “Rua da Fonte Velha”, “Rua da Seara” and “Rua da Cruz”) and even came to occupy “Rua do Almacave”.
In “Rua Nova” (old Jewry new) we can see a characteristic granitic ogival portal (now with a Christian inscription). It may have been here the old synagogue. The importance of Lamego is already tested in 1139 because of the famous “Cortes” (met in Almacave’s church) where the king Afonso Henriques was hailed king of Portugal. The diocese of the city is earlier because exists since the year 570 (“S. Martinho de Dume”).
“José de Lamego”, Jewish cobbler, received from “Pêro da Covilhã”, in Cairo, the informations that allowed D. João II to know all the information about the East African, Arabic and Indic coasts which launched Vasco da Gama’s trip.