This morning we journeyed to Toledo,
which was the old capital of Spain during the 16th century and was
inhabited as early as the 5th century BCE. It was an important city during Roman times
and after the fall of Rome it was the Visigoth capital of Spain. The Moors conquered this region of Spain in
the early 8th century and ruled until Alfonzo VI conquered Toledo in
1085. For about 400 years, Muslins,
Christians, and Jews lived side by side with religious tolerane. In the late 15th century, there
were forced conversions and mass expulsions of Jews.
Our first stop was at an overlook where
we had a panoramic view of the city, which sits on a mountain above and surrounded
on three sides by the Tagus River.
Both the Alcazar and Toledo Cathedral are prominent on the skyline. We then stopped at the base of the mountain where a series of escalators transport you to the old city. Our first stop was the large Gothic Toledo Cathedral, which was built between 1226 and 1493. It measures 390 ft in length by 194 ft in width and 146 ft high and contains 5 naves.
Both the Alcazar and Toledo Cathedral are prominent on the skyline. We then stopped at the base of the mountain where a series of escalators transport you to the old city. Our first stop was the large Gothic Toledo Cathedral, which was built between 1226 and 1493. It measures 390 ft in length by 194 ft in width and 146 ft high and contains 5 naves.
The impressive Baroque altar called El
Transparente is several stories high, with fantastic figures of stucco,
paintings, bronze castings, and multiple colors of marble.
The choir stalls are sculptured and carved wooden stalls with numerous fantasy figures on the arms and capped with alabaster marble sculptures.
We visited the sacristy, which contains a gallery of paintings by El Greco, Caravaggio, Rafael, and Velazquez. The Disrobing of Christ by El Greco is very impressive and Goya’s interpretation is placed on an adjacent wall.
The ceiling is highly decorated with paintings.
The choir stalls are sculptured and carved wooden stalls with numerous fantasy figures on the arms and capped with alabaster marble sculptures.
We visited the sacristy, which contains a gallery of paintings by El Greco, Caravaggio, Rafael, and Velazquez. The Disrobing of Christ by El Greco is very impressive and Goya’s interpretation is placed on an adjacent wall.
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| El Greco |
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| Goya |
The ceiling is highly decorated with paintings.
Before lunch we walked to the Iglesia
de Santo Tome that contains El Greco’s masterpiece The Burial of the Count of
Orgaz. This painting contains a self
portrait and his son as guests to the burial.
We had a relaxing lunch in a shaded courtyard before walking to the Synagogue of El Transito,
which dates from the 14th century.
It contains a Sephardic Museum and has stucco decorations.
On the way to San Martin bridge we
stopped at the Monasterio de San Juan de
los Reyes, which is in Elizabethan Gothic style (15th century). King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella to
commemorate the birth of their son and a battle victory founded the monastery. It contains a very pretty cloister.
We then walked to the San Martin Bridge
and exited Toledo.
From the bridge we had an excellent view of the river and the old city walls.
After the one hour drive back to Madrid, we relaxed before having dinner at the hotel.
From the bridge we had an excellent view of the river and the old city walls.
After the one hour drive back to Madrid, we relaxed before having dinner at the hotel.
Tomorrow morning we will have a tour of
the city.
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