Rome is home to one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world. Its history is closely intertwined with the events of the Roman Catholic Church and the papacy, which over the centuries has played the roles of both protector and persecutor of the Roman Jews. Culturally rich and vibrant, the Roman Jewish community still has its center of gravity in a small patch of land near the Tiber River where their ancestors were confined by Pope Paul IV: the Ghetto. And right in the ghetto, there is the Jewish Museum of Rome, a little gem housed in the complex of the Great Synagogue. It is not only the impressive synagogue which attracts many visitors who come to visit, but also the Roman, medieval and renaissance ruins in Via del Portico d'Ottavia, the symbolic center of the district along with Piazza delle Cinque Scole. In the ghetto of Rome it is also possible to sample the authentic, traditional, Roman-Jewish cuisine and choose from many kosher eateries there, and the best bakery in town.