Toledo
Toledo is a city located 70 km south of Madrid. The city has Roman origins and was then called Toletum.
Toledo was declared a World Heritage Site due to its cultural and monumental heritage of several historic civilizations. The Romans left a circus and an aqueduct, the Visigoths remains of the city walls, the Emirate of Cordoba the Puerta Vieja de Bisagra, there are Jewish monuments and some outstanding 15-16th century constructions (Cathedral, San Juan de los Reyes, Santa Cruz hospital).
The city is also known for the emergence of a hybrid Mudéjar style, a symbiosis of techniques and ways of understanding architecture resulting from Muslim, Christian and Jewish cultures living side by side. This can be seen in the Santiago del Arrabal and the Puerta del Sol.
Visit July 2007
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Toledo is a lovely city for a weekend break, it deserves much more than only a daytrip from Madrid. I arrived on Friday afternoon at the bus station and walked uphill to the old town (not recommended for those with a lot of luggage or in bad shape). The town has a spectacular location on top of a hill, like a medieval fortress with thick walls to deter attackers. The streets in the historic center are very narrow and just made for walking (although the locals successfully navigate their cars through this labyrinth).
The most popular route in Toledo seems to be the walk from the Puerta Bisagra to the Cathedral. The Puerta Bisagra is the most prominent gate for visitors arriving by car or from one of the stations. From there it's up and up, passing the Santiago del Arrabal's pretty Mudejar tower and the decorative Puerta del Sol. My personal favourite on this route is the Hospital Santa Cruz. Its interior is an oasis. And oh, that stairwell! Finally, the Cathedral, is a huge Gothic masterpiece. It can easily manage the crowds of visitors that flock in every hour of the day.
Another great walk leads through the former Jewish neighbourhood. Two synagogues that after 1492 were turned into churches are left and open to visitors. There are also a number of other buildings worth seeing in this area.
Toledo owes its WHS status to its urban continuity. Comparisons to Rome and Florence are made in the Advisory Body Evaluation: ".. any attempt to make a survey of the monumental heritage of Toledo would be an impossible undertaking". The archeological remains of early rulers like the Romans and the Visigoths are scarce however. The main influences on the current city are medieval: the period of the coexistence of the Moors, Jews and Christians.
Within 'The Historic City of Toledo', the Cathedral could even earn its own place on the list, as it is considered the magnum opus of the Gothic architecture style Spain and one of the finest cathedrals in Europe.
P.S.: at the time of writing, two of Toledo's main sights were closed for restoration: the Alcazar and the El Greco Museum.
More photos can be found in the Picture Gallery
Reviews
John Booth (New Zealand):
We travelled to Toledo by train from Madrid, and took a local bus from the station to Zodcover Square. From there we explored the labyrinth of narrow streets on foot.
Today the old town appears to be dominated by the huge cathedral, but amongst all the narrow lanes there is a plethora of little churches as well as mosques and synagogues to be found.
Somehow these managed to survive the dark period of the inquisitions, and hearken back to earlier times when there was religious tolerance in the town. |
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A. O`Riordan (US):
*coughs* Dusty but lovely. There are many things to see in the city, from ornate and expensive churches to the artwork and more modest home of El Greco. Getting to the top of the hill is fun too; they actually have elevators built into it! If you can, get away from the city itself and into the hills where you can get an absolutely stunning panoramic shot or two. |
| Date posted: July 2005 |
André Dique (United Kingdom):
Magnificent cathedral, impressive city walls, narrow winding cobbled streets, continental cafes, friendly convents, damascene artefacts, Moorish mosques and a wealth of history. Toledo has it all! |
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Jim Humberd (USA):
We visited the house where the painter El Greco lived and worked for years. Many of his paintings were on display. In one set of 12 pictures, each of the Apostles had small parts of each picture unfinished. For example, there would be a hand, but no fingers. While we were there, some important looking officials arrived for a tour of the museum. They rode in a large limousine, complete with guards and guides.
We drove down a street into a small plaza and found several narrow streets came into the area, but only one seemed to go out. As we were trying to decide what to do, a small truck about our size went through, so we followed, then found we had plenty of room. That is, about 2 inches between each mirror and the buildings. |
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