Look up. Can you see any Hebrew letters engraved in stone? As a result of the end of the community, headstones from the Jewish cemetery of Montjuic were used in new constructions at the time. Many were placed so the Hebrew letters were hidden, however, others remained visible. The tombstones at Plaça Sant Iu are the most visible in a public space and are easily
recognizable.
The stones were used to build the Palau del Lloctinent in 1549, a governmental building and one of the most regal palaces at the time. It later housed the archive of the Crown of Aragon, and is now the headquarters of the foundation of the archives. The old Jewish tombstones thus adorn some of the Gothic landmarks of the city. Those stones closer to the street level show clear signs of deterioration, making it hard to read the letters, but are still a clear sign of the complex history of the city.