Toledo, Spain

Toledo, Spain

History is rich and close when we start a tour of Toledo. An hour south of Madrid, sitting atop a gorge overlooking the Tagus River, is the magnificent city of Toledo.

Toledo is often called the ‘Imperial City’ because it was the main seat of the court of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, in Spain. Toledo is a medieval town that has been heavily influenced by its mix of Christian, Jewish and Muslim inhabitants throughout the centuries, and all three can be discovered on a tour of Toledo with a local guide. You will find monuments scattered throughout the city that reflect Toledo’s ‘three cultures’ and many of the city’s most visited attractions are religious. The historic city of Toledo was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986 for being ‘a repository of more than 2,000 years of history’ and for its architectural masterpieces that hold such importance for Christians, Muslims and Jews. On our Small Group Tour of Spain & Portugal, Day 9 is a guided walking day in Toledo, travelling out from our base in Madrid.

The History of Toledo

Toledo was conquered by the Roman general Marcus Fulvius Nobilior in 193 BC and became an important colony. It was eventually chosen as the capital of the post-Roman Visigothic kingdom in the 6th century and became the site where a series of important church councils were held. The third, and arguably most famous, council, in 589, saw King Reccared and the Visigothic kingdom formally renounce Arianism for Catholic Christianity. In 711, the city of Toledo was captured by the Moors who occupied the area for over three centuries. During this time, the city of Toledo was home to an important Mozarab community. Mozarab refers to Spanish Christians who lived under Muslim rule and adopted Arabic language and culture without converting to Islam.

In 1085, Alfonso VI of Castile took Toledo and established direct control over the city and soon afterwards, in 1088, the Pope confirmed Toledo as the primate see of the Spanish Church. Despite Castilian conquest, Toledo continued to be an important cultural centre and at first, Christians, Jews and Muslims co-existed. Mosques and synagogues were not destroyed and for a period, the city flourished. However, this period of religious harmony did not last and persecutions of Jews and Muslims became more frequent in the later Middle Ages. Many Jews and Muslims left the city, and many who stayed were pressured to convert; Jews who converted to Christianity became known as conversos. During the reign of Charles I of Spain, also known as Charles V Holy Roman Emperor, Toledo served as the main venue of the Imperial court. However, the city of Toledo’s fate changed in the mid-16th century when Felipe II made Madrid his capital.

The city’s importance dwindled until the late 20th century when Toledo was made the capital of the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha. The centuries of economic decline inadvertently helped Toledo preserve its impressive architectural and cultural heritage and in recent years it has become one of Spain’s most admired cities. This was helped by the title of World Heritage Site which reiterated the wealth of important landmarks in the city of Toledo.

What to See in Toledo

Toledo Cathedral

Given Toledo’s rich heritage, there is no shortage of sites to see and beautiful places to explore on a tour of Toledo. One place that is always high on every visitor to Toledo’s list is the Toledo Cathedral. Begun in 1226 and completed in 1493, the cathedral stands on the site of the city’s central mosque which was converted into a church in 1085 but ultimately destroyed. The cathedral is a mix of architectural styles, with a Gothic structure and Renaissance and Mudejar features. It is one of Spain’s three great 13th-century Gothic cathedrals, with Burgos and León, and many consider it the finest of them. It is built from white limestone from the nearby quarries of Olihuelas. Today, the cathedral’s sacristy has been converted to a gallery featuring works by El Greco, a master of Spanish painting, Goya and Velázquez. Here, you can see a famous painting of El Greco’s called The Disrobing of Christ.

One can see more of El Greco’s work at the El Greco Museum in the Jewish Quarter of the city. El Greco was born in Crete in 1541 but spent much of his life in Toledo. Opened in 1911, the museum features a 16th-century house with a courtyard that has been recreated into the home of El Greco and a 20th century building that displays many artworks by the artist. The entire complex is surrounded by lovely terraced gardens and you will also find a range of paintings, pottery and furniture from the city of Toledo.

The Alcazar of Toledo, a military museum

At the city’s highest point, you will find the Alcazar of Toledo, a fortress on a site fortified since Roman and Moorish times, rebuilt by the Christian kings and remodelled for Charles I in the 16th century. The Alcazar was used as a royal palace by Charles I for a time; once the court moved to Madrid it was put to other uses, and from the 19th century it housed a military academy. During the Spanish Civil War in 1936, the Alcazar of Toledo was badly destroyed during a siege and it became a powerful nationalist symbol. Under Franco it was rebuilt, and since 2010 it has housed the Army Museum (Museo del Ejército). The museum provides an in-depth insight into Spain’s history as well as exhibiting important military artefacts.

The view of Toledo

For the best panoramic views of this beautiful city, head to Mirador del Valle. The viewpoint, which provides a sweeping view of the whole city, is just south of Toledo across the Tagus River and outside of the city’s limits. It is a great way to orient oneself and allows you to see all the main monuments of the city laid out in front of you, including the cathedral and the Alcazar.

The Synagogue of El Tránsito (Sinagoga del Tránsito) is another site that attests to the city’s rich religious history. A striking Mudejar building with multifoil arches, the El Tránsito synagogue was built around 1357 for Samuel ha-Levi, treasurer to Pedro I, King of Castile, who allowed its construction. Today it houses the Sephardic Museum which looks at the history of Jewish culture in Spain. While the Jewish Quarter once made up around 10% of the walled city’s area, the persecution of Jews in the late 14th and 15th centuries, ending with the expulsion of 1492, changed the Jewish Quarter for good.

Toledo’s walls

One of the best ways to get to know Toledo is simply to wander the city streets, many of which are not designed for vehicles. A must-see sight on a walking tour is Puerta de Bisagra, the main gate into the walled city. It was rebuilt in its present form by Alonso de Covarrubias in 1559, replacing an older Moorish gate, the Puerta Vieja de Bisagra, which still stands nearby.

It takes about half an hour to get to Toledo from Madrid by high-speed train, or around an hour by car or bus. For this reason it is a popular day trip from Madrid.

Seeing Toledo on our Spain and Portugal tour

On our Small Group Tour of Spain & Portugal, Toledo is Day 9, a day out from Madrid. We join a local guide for a walking tour of the old city, visiting the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, the Church of Santo Tomé, home of El Greco’s The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, and the cathedral, and viewing the Alcazar from outside. We return to Madrid for dinner at a local restaurant. Day 8 covers the Royal Palace and the Reina Sofía, and Day 10 the Prado; on Day 11 we leave for Salamanca by way of the Royal Monastery at El Escorial. To see how these days fit the 24-day route, read our Spain and Portugal itinerary.

Articles about Spain published by Odyssey Traveller:

• Questions about Spain.
• Empires crossing the Mediterranean: 1130-1300.
• 15 of the best places to visit in Spain.
• Barcelona travel notes.
• Pilgrimages of the World: Advice for mature travellers.
• Books to read on a trip to Spain.
• Eight Amazing Rail Journeys.
• Five Renaissance Women.

For all the articles Odyssey Traveller has published for mature travellers, click through on this link.

External articles to assist you on your visit to Spain:

• The spirit of southern Spain: Reasons to visit Andalucia.
• Beyond Seville: Three ancient towns to visit in Andalucia.
• Ten must see sights in Madrid.