Explore the original Toledo, an ancient city upon a hill.
Toledo, Spain is over 2,000 years old, and it shows it. In a good way of course. The old walled city is located on a hill. Toledo is a city of three cultures, with influences from Christians, Muslims and Jews. Toledo even served for a time as an imperial city and main seat of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. There is so much history to be found in Toledo.
There was a city where Toledo stands today even before the Roman conquest of Spain, later becoming a Roman city. Toledo was a very important city under the Visigoths. The bishops of Toledo became the strongest in the Iberian Peninsula. The city declined after the conquest by the Moors in the 8th century. Toledo became the capital of a time of a Moorish controlled area, a taifa. Under Moorish rule, Toledo became a melting pot of Islamic, Jewish and Christian peoples. Many Ancient Roman and Greek texts were translated here, which helped spur on the Renaissance in Italy. The city was conquered again in the 11th century, but Toledo continued to be a cultural center.
I visited Toledo over two partial days from Madrid. It takes only about an hour to reach Toledo from central Madrid. I had planned only one day, but I tried to kill my foot and my wandering speed was greatly diminished. Toledo is also extremely hilly. Combine the two, I needed two days.
Jana Irving The train station is located at the very bottom of that hill. I cheated and took the bus to the top on the second day.
Jana Irving Look at those wonderful walls.
Jana Irving Ooooo! A Moorish gate!
Jana Irving All the buses that go to the old city end up in this grand plaza, the Zocodover.
Jana Irving Just perfection.
Jana Irving One of the entrances to the cathedral.
Jana Irving Getting close to that cathedral.
The Cathedral of Toledo is a 13th century High Gothic structure which some people think is the epidemy of Gothic architecture in Spain. Right after the Christian reconquest, they turned the mosque into a temporary cathedral (just like they did in Cordoba). It was later torn down and the current cathedral was constructed. The design is Spanish Gothic with French Gothic influences. The Cathedral of Toledo was made the head church in Spain in the 11th century and still serves that purpose today. Explains that weird event that delayed the opening. There were so many bishops and priests coming out, along with at least one cardinal.
Jana Irving Skipping ahead to the inside of the cathedral which I didn’t see until the afternoon.
Jana Irving That wall that I can’t find the name of that is on the back side of the choir area.
Jana Irving That’s quite a choir.
Jana Irving The High Altar is hidden behind that gate.
Jana Irving Church entrance with an organ on the top.
Jana Irving The High Altar is hiding behind that screen as well.
Jana Irving The rear of the church is curved and very fancy.
Jana Irving Well, that’s gorgeous. It’s a Baroque altar piece called El Transparente, because of the way the light from the dome above hits it.
Jana Irving There is a lot going on here.
Jana Irving A cute little Gothic chapel.
Jana Irving A chapel with the tombs of Bishops. I think.
Jana Irving Chapel of the New Monarchs. A few early Spanish monarchs are buried here.
Jana Irving The super crowded chapterhouse.
Jana Irving I think this is the Chapel of St. Blaise.
Jana Irving Going back to before the inside of the cathedral. This medieval building is reusing either Ancient Roman or Visigothic columns.
Jana Irving The backside of San Bartolomé. Toledo is full of medieval buildings and churches.
Jana Irving So many narrow passageways.
Jana Irving Medieval entrance to the Convento de Santa Isabel de los Reyes. They sell homemade candy.
Jana Irving I love this.
Jana Irving The Museo de los Concilios y la Cultura Visigoda (Visigoth Museum) is in an old church.
Jana Irving San Román, now the Visigoth Museum, is a 13th century Mudejar (Spanish/Moorish hybrid) style church.
Jana Irving It’s full of amazing frescoes.
Jana Irving A fabulous restoration I must say.
Jana Irving An enticing passageway.
Jana Irving Toledo is home to an amazing 14th century synagogue, Synagogue of El Tránsito. It was converted to a church in after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492.
Jana Irving It’s full of amazing Mudejar designs.
Jana Irving I went down that passageway and found these great medieval buildings.
Jana Irving Ceramics, anyone?
Jana Irving Back down the hill. Toledo’s train station is in a Neo-Mudejar style. It’s pretty cool.
Jana Irving It’s even neat on the inside.
Well, that’s the end of my first day in Toledo. I had tried to get a train back to Madrid, but it was booked solid. So, I had to walk all the way to the bus station on my very sore foot and then sit on a very crowded bus to get back. The next day I didn’t even bother with the train on the way back and took a city bus to the bus station.
Toledo is amazing. There is still much more to see on Day 2.
Check out my next update where I explore even more of the amazing city of Toledo!
or
Start at the beginning of my travels around Spain!
