Candelabrum of Tui
In the cloister of the Cathedral of Tui, built between the 13th and 15th centuries, one can admire a still-clear inscription of a seven-branched Jewish menorah in front of the entrance to the 12th-century chapter house. So, for centuries, the canons of Tui passed in front of the Jewish menorah every time they gathered in chapter. No one erased this graffiti, not even during the times of the Inquisition.
Ethnologic Museum
The symbolism of the menorah in Jewish culture
This engraving of the menorah should not be confused with a mason’s mark, as is sometimes the case with the five-pointed star. Given its size and meaning, it does not serve a technical or constructive function. It undoubtedly represents the oldest symbol of Judaism: the seven-branched candelabrum, which has been an identifying image of the people of Israel since the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem. It was also one of the utensils of the Tabernacle in the desert, although it did not later play a specific role in Jewish religious rituals.
