Toledo is the capital of the province of Toledo in
the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. Before the Romans
conquered the place in 192 BC. conquered by the Celtiberians, the
settlement on the Tajo was already important. The Romans named the
place "Toletum" and developed it into an important military base in
the province of Tarraconensis. The ruins of the Roman circus, which
could hold 30,000 visitors, are still visible outside the city walls
and make the size of the city clear at the time of Roman rule.
In the 5th century, without much resistance, the city was
conquered first by the Alans (411) and then by the Germanic tribes
of the Visigoths (418). The Visigoths made Toledo, geographically
located in the center of the Iberian Peninsula, their capital.
During their reign (573-711), important religious councils were held
in the city, including the 3rd Council, which sealed the conversion
of the Visigoths from the Arian to the Catholic faith. The city
became the seat of an Archdiocese, and to this day the Archbishop of
Toledo is Primate of the Catholic Church in Spain.
With the
arrival of the Moors in 711, the Visigoth Empire collapsed and
Toledo was named Toleitola. Under the Caliphate of Cordoba, three
cultures (Jewish, Muslim and Christian) lived together largely
without tension.
In 1085, the Christian Castilian king
Alfonso VI reconquered Toledo and made it the seat of the Castilian
monarchy. In the period that followed, Jewish and Christian scholars
in Toledo translated many of the classic works by Aristotle, Ptolemy
and Hippocrates brought to Spain by the Arabs, making the city a
leading cultural center in Europe.
After the seat of the
Spanish monarchy was moved to Madrid in 1561, Toledo's political and
economic importance declined, but the power of the church remained
significant. But today the city is alive again: in 1983 it was named
the capital of the autonomous region of Castilla-La Mancha and in
1987 it was recognized as a "World Heritage Site" by UNESCO.
Toledo is located in the interior of the plateau, around a meander that forms the Tagus River. It is located 69 km south of Madrid, it is a relatively small city, although it is the capital of Castilla-La Mancha, one of the various regions into which Spain is divided.
Toledo has a Mediterranean climate with a continental tendency, with very little rainfall that is concentrated in spring and late autumn, marked summer drought and an important daily thermal oscillation. The temperatures are cool in winter, with frequent frosts although less than in other areas of the region, and high in summer, with maximum temperatures that can exceed 40º.
The city of Toledo is divided into 16 districts
(barrios): Antequeruela, Azucaica, Benquerencia, Buenavista, Casco
histórico, Cigarrales, Monte Sión - San Bernardo, Olivilla, Palomarejos,
Pinedo, Salto del Caballo, San Antón, Santa Bárbara, Santa Teresa,
Valparaíso and Vistahermosa. The districts of Antequeruela and Casco
histórico form the historic center within the city walls.
Districts such as Santa Clara or Santa Isabel are located within the
historic city center.
The old town with the Santa María Cathedral
from the 13th to 15th centuries and the Alcázar from the 16th century as
well as numerous other churches, a monastery and museums was included in
the UNESCO World Heritage List in December 1986. The former Hospital de
Santa Cruz from the 15th/16th. Century near the Alcázar has been
converted into a museum.
The Puente de Alcántara over the Tajo
has served as the main entrance to the city since Roman times and was
supplemented in the late Middle Ages by the Puente de San Martín, whose
five pointed arches reach spans of up to 40 meters.
Also worth
seeing are two of the few surviving medieval synagogues, El Tránsito and
Santa María la Blanca, which were used as churches after the Jews were
expelled in 1492. An imposing city gate is the Puerta Nueva de Bisagra,
built around 1550, with a large imperial coat of arms on the outside;
the 9th-century Puerta Vieja de Bisagra, spanned by a horseshoe arch, is
nearby.
1 Cathedral Primada (Cathedral of Toledo). Phone: +34
925 222 241 . the spiritual center was built after 1226 on the same spot
where the Visigoth cathedral and the main mosque used to stand. The
floor plan of the archbishop's cathedral resembles a Latin cross. Today,
the cathedral is one of the three most important Gothic sacred buildings
on the Iberian peninsula, and inside there are numerous important
structural works of art from a wide variety of eras. A wealth of
high-quality paintings can also be admired in the museum-style sacristy.
Around 15 paintings by El Greco, including the "Disrobing of Christ" one
of his most important works, which has been restored to its former glory
in 2014. But there are also pictures by Goya and Van Dyck, Rubens and
Titian. Scheduled viewing time: approx. 2 hours. Open: Mon-Sat 10 a.m. -
6.30 p.m., Sun/Friday 2 p.m. - 6.30 p.m. Admission: €8 including audio
guide in German (as of May 2016). Taking pictures inside only without
flash.
2 Church of Santo Tomé (Iglesia de Santo Tomé), Plaza del
Conde. The red brick tower is an excellent example of the Mudejar style,
which combined Arabic architecture with the Christian Gothic style. One
of El Greco's masterpieces hangs in the church: "The Entombment of the
Count of Orgaz". Also discovered in this painting is a self-portrait of
the painter (Domenikos Theotokopuli, born in Crete, called "The Greek"),
who came to Toledo in 1575 and until his death in 1614 created more than
200 paintings in this region. Open: every day: 10 a.m. – 6.45 p.m.
(15.03. – 14.10.) or 10.00 a.m. – 5.45 p.m. (15.10. – 14.03.). Price:
Entry: €2.30
3 Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz (Cristo de la Luz),
Cuesta de Carmelitas Descalzos 10 . This building near the city walls is
an important monument of Moorish culture. The mosque was originally
called "Bab al-Mardum" like the city gate nearby and was built in 999
according to a rediscovered inscription. After the Reconquista, the
mosque was rededicated as a Christian chapel. The current name refers to
a legend of El Cid. Open: Mon – Fri 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. + 3.30 p.m. – 5.45
p.m. (in summer 6.40 p.m.), Sat + Sun 10 a.m. – 6.40 p.m. Price:
Admission: €2.50 (as of Oct. 2013).
4 Monastery of San Juan de
los Reyes - One of the most spectacular Gothic buildings in Toledo: the
Franciscan monastery (15th/16th century) is characterized by a richly
decorated gable on the outside, as well as on the inside, which is
characterized by imposing columns and domes , a pleasure. The
architectural highlight is the two-storey late Gothic cloister - still a
place of perfect contemplation today. Disabled access; Opening hours:
daily 10 am - 6.45 pm (01.03.-15.10.) or 10.00 am - 5.45 pm.
(16.10.-28.02.); Admission: €2.50 (as of May 2016), audio guide via
smartphone via WLAN in the monastery (English/Spanish/French),
photography permitted. Scheduled viewing time: approx. 1 hour.
5
Sinagoga de Santa Maria la Blanca (Sinagoga de Santa Maria la Blanca).
Built in the Moorish style at the end of the 12th century, the former
synagogue in the heart of the former Jewish quarter is a special
architectural gem. 28 white horseshoe arches with filigree capitals
contrast perfectly with the rich wall decorations and the magnificent
Artesonado ceiling. The church was once the largest and oldest synagogue
in Toledo; it was annexed in 1405 and subsequently transformed into a
Christian church. Open: Mon – Sun 10 a.m. – 6.45 p.m. (May 1 – September
30) or 10 a.m. – 5.45 p.m. (October 1 – April 30). Price: Admission:
€2.50 (as of Oct. 2013).
6 Iglesia de San Ildefonso o de los
Jesuitas (Jesuit Church), Plaza Juan de Mariana 1. The church is
dedicated to St. Ildefonso de Toledo, the patron saint of the city.
Already the magnificent front (it was inspired by the church Il Gesú in
Rome) of the church, which was begun around 1630 and was essentially
only completed at the end of the 18th century, shows itself to be an
outstanding example of baroque architecture in Toledo. This baroque and
rococo style continues in the bright interior of the church. The
impressive dome is one of the dominant features of the city skyline.
From the towers you have a fascinating view of Toledo and the
surrounding area. Open: Mon - Sun 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. (in summer) or 10
a.m. - 5.45 p.m. (in winter). Price: Entry: €2.50
Alcazar. As the center of secular power in old Toledo, the massive, almost square building was erected on the highest hill in the city. The Romans had already established a military camp here in the third century, later the place became the seat of the Gothic kings, the Arab rulers and finally the Spanish kings. Today's Alcázar was built by Emperor Charles V, who was also King Charles I of Spain; his statue can be seen in the inner courtyard. During the civil war in 1936, the Alcázar was completely destroyed; In 1940 the reconstruction started. Today it houses a regional library and an expanded Heeresmuseum (Army Museum).
Museo Sefardí, Calle Samuel Levi. Sinagoga del
Tránsito Only the Sinagoga de Santa María Blanca and the Sinagoga
Tránsito have survived from ten synagogues in the Jewish quarter of
Toledo. In the adjoining rooms of the beautifully decorated prayer hall,
the latter houses the Sephardic Museum, which documents the history of
the Jews in Spain from Roman times to the expulsion in 1492. Open: Tue –
Sat 9.30 a.m. – 8 p.m. (April 1 – September 30) or 9.30 a.m. – 6.30 p.m.
(October 1 – March 31) and Sun 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Price: Admission: €3
Museum of Councils and Visigoth Culture, Calle San Román. The church of
San Román, built in the 13th century - a fine example of Moorish
architecture in Toledo - has been expanded into a museum of the Toledo
councils and Visigoth culture. The exhibition shows old manuscripts,
goldsmith work and jewelry from that era. Open: Tue – Sat 10 a.m. – 2
p.m. + 4 p.m. – 6.30 p.m., Sun + public holidays 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Price:
Admission free
Museo del Greco, Paseo del Transito. The state museum
is currently the only one in Spain that deals with the life and work of
the native Cretan Domenikos Theotokopoulos, called: El Greco,
(1541-1614). After he settled in Toledo, he rose to become one of the
most sought-after artists of his time. The museum is housed in what is
believed to be the painter's home. Open: Tue – Sat 9.30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
(01.04. – 30.09.) or 9.30 a.m. – 6.30 p.m. (01.10. – 31.03.); Sun +
public holidays 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Price: Admission: €3.00
More museums
Plaza de Zocodover
Plaza de Santa Teresa de Jesus
Plaza de Santa Clara
Plaza de Santa Isabel
Plaza of Pozo Amargo
Plaza de San Cipriano
Plaza de Capuchinas
Plaza de Santo Domingo
el Real
Plaza de Barrio Nuevo
Plaza of Padre Juan de Mariana
Plaza de San Vicente
Cobertizo de Santo Domingo el Real
Cobertizo
de San Pedro Martir
Arquillo del Judio
Calle del Locum / Callejon
del Diablo
Calle de Alfileritos
Cuesta del Aguila
Mirador del Valle
Mirador del Castillo de San
Servando
Mirador del Palacio de Fuensalida
Cerro de la Virgen de
Gracia
Murallas del Paseo del Carmen
Torreon del Puente de San
Martin
Mirador de Santa Ana
Corralillo de San Miguel
Mirador de
la Puerta del Sol
By plane
The nearest airport is in Madrid (Barajas, abbreviation:
MAD).
By train
Trains depart from Madrid-Puerta de Atocha at
6:50 am, 7:50 am, 9:20 am, 10:20 am, 12:20 pm, 1:50 pm, 2:50 pm, 3:50
pm, 4:50 pm, 5:50 pm, 6:50 pm, 7:50 pm and 9:50 pm, journey time 33
minutes. A ticket costs €13.90 (return ticket €22.20), and early
reservation is recommended during rush hours. Return from Toledo at 6:25
am, 6:50 am, 7:25 am, 7:55 am, 9:25 am, 10:25 am, 12:25 pm, 1:25 pm,
3:25 pm, 4:18 pm, 5:25 pm, 7:20 pm, and 9:30 pm. The train station is a
little outside of Toledo. To get to the city you can either walk (1.5
km) or take a bus. When walking, the escalator system up to the
convention center and on towards Zocodover can be used to overcome the
height. The train station (Estación Ferrocarril de Toledo) is on Paseo
de la Rosa, s/n., Tel. 925 223 099.
Estación de Toledo Adif
(Toledo Train Station), Paseo de la Rosa.
By bus
From Madrid
with the public bus network: Fare (single): EUR 1.80, journey time
approx. 1 hour. At the various bus stations without reservation (not
possible), buy the ticket from the relevant company or counter and off
you go. A line/destination is always served by a specific bus company.
The corresponding company can be determined on the display board.
The Alsa company http:www.alsa.es ,Tel 902 42 22 42, runs buses from
Madrid to Toledo. Departure point in Madrid is Estación Plaza Elíptica,
Avda. Lusitana, s/n. (Reachable by metro lines 6 and 11 or by bus lines
E1, 47, 55, 60, 81, 116, 155, 247, N15 and N16. Buses from Madrid run
every weekday from 6:59 to 7:59 and from 8:59 to 21:59 30 minutes,
journey time 60 minutes One-way ticket costs €5.37, return ticket
€10.70.
The Estacion de Autobuses of Toledo (tel. 925 21 58 50)
is outside the old town on Avenida de Castilla La Mancha. Buses from
Toledo to Madrid run every 30 minutes Monday to Friday from 6am to
10.30pm, Saturday from 6.30am to 10.30pm, Sunday and public holidays
from 8am to 11pm. The bus ride takes 75 minutes.
By car
From
Madrid via the A-42 (Carretera de Toledo, similar to a federal highway).
Distance from/to Toledo: Madrid: 70 km. Avila: 135 km. Ciudad Real: 120
km. Talaverna de la Reina: 78 km. Toledo is accessible from Madrid on
the AP-41 (Autopista Madrid-Toledo) [www.autopistamadridtoledo.com ],
toll €7.45 on weekdays, €6.20 on Sat, Sun, public holidays and in
July/August or on the A-42 (Autovía de Toledo), from Andalusia on the
A-4 (Autovía del Sur), from Talavera de la Reina, Cáceres and Portugal
on the A-5 (Autovía del Suroeste), from Ciudad Real on the CM-42
(Autovía de los Viñedos), from Ávila, Salamanca and Valladolid on the
N-403 (Carretera Toledo-Ávila). .
If you're staying in a hotel near the old town, the easiest way to
get around is on foot. In large parts, the lanes and paths in the old
town are only permitted for pedestrians and residents' vehicles.
From the Paseo del Recaredo there are six escalators that connect the
new districts with the old town and lead to the Palacio de la Diputación
Provincial. Another escalator system connects the exit point for tourist
buses on Calle Carreras de San Sebastián with Calle Venancio González
near Plaza de Zocodover.
tourist bus
It is recommended to get
on one of the double-decker tourist buses at the train station. You
drive around the old town and offer a wonderful view of the historic
city landscape. The bus service starts at 9.50 am, every 45 minutes. The
ticket costs 5 euros. It remains valid all day.
bus
The
regular bus service is provided by the company Unauto. Tickets can be
purchased at the Zococentro Information Office: C/ Sillería, 14, Tel 900
506 848 or 925 220 300 and on board the buses. The old town can be
reached from the bus station with lines 5 Zocodover - Santa Barbara and
12 Circular Casco Historico, from the train station with lines 5
Zocodover - Santa Barbara, 6.1 Zocodover - Benquerencia (Centro), and
6.2 Zocodover - Benquerencia (Sur). . A single journey costs € 1.50. In
the Zococentro you can buy a Tarjeta Bono Bus for €5. With this, a trip
costs € 0.60. The card can be topped up with €5, €10 or €20 on the bus.
taxi
taxi stands
Av. Castilla La Mancha. Tel.: +34 925 216
522. Next to the bus station.
Cuesta Carlos V. Tel: + 34925 222 396.
Next to Plaza Zocodover.
Pº Merchan. Tel: 25 221 696. Next to Puerta
de Bisagra.
Avenida Barber. Tel.: +36 925 221 698. near the train
station and the Virgen de la Salud hospital.
Radio taxi: phone
numbers: +34 925 255 050 and +34 925 227 070
The gold and black lacquered enamel work by local
artists is well known throughout Spain. Many shops in Toledo sell
decorated plates, spoons and keychains.
Sword. Toledo is known
for its conquistador swords, which cost around €250. Since you can't
take them on the plane, you have to ship them. Luckily, the stores
themselves can do that for a reasonable price.
pottery. The largest
city in the province of Toledo is Talavera de la Reina. The city has a
centuries-old tradition in ceramic glazing. Shops in Toledo are
overflowing with hand-painted ceramics of varying quality.
Cheap
Hierbabuena, callejon de San José 17. Tel: +34 925 223 924.
Open: Sun closed evenings. Price: menu € 20 to 45, a la carte € 36 to
48.
Middle
La Perdiz, Reyes Catolicos 7. Tel: +34 925 252 919.
Open: Sun closed evenings. Price: menu € 18 to 32, a la carte € 22 to
45.
Locum, Locum 6. Open: Mon evenings, Tues closed. Price: menu €
40, a la carte € 34 to 45.
El Palacete, Soledad 2. Tel: +34 925 225
375. Open: Sun evenings, Mon evenings, closed. Price: € 30 to 55,.
La
Ermita, carret de Circunvalacion. Tel: +34 925 253 193. Open: Sun
evenings, closed Mon. Price: €45.
Los Cuatro Tiempos, Sixto Ramon
Parro 5. Tel: +34 925 223 782, Fax: 925 221021, Email:
ris@restauranteloscuatrotiempos.com. Open: Sun closed in the evening.
Price: menu € 19 to 38, a la carte € 40.
Almena, Nunez de Arce 11.
Tel.: +34 925 210 442. Open: Fri, Sat, Sun noon and evening, otherwise
only noon. Price: menu €27 to €38, a la carte €45.
La Orca, Descalzas
5. Tel.: +34 925 223 011, email: restaurantelaorza@hotmail.com. next to
Santo Tomé Church, El Greco House and Synagogue. Open: 1:30 p.m. to 4
p.m., 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., closed on Sunday evenings. Price: menu € 25
to 40, a la carte € 30 to 45.
El Portico, av. de America. Tel: +34
925 214 315. Open: Sun closed evenings. Price: menu € 23 to 45, a la
carte € 35 to 48.
Curcuma, Tendillas 3. Tel.: +34 925 250 202, email:
restaurante_curcuma@yahoo.es. Open: Sun evenings, closed Mon. Price:
Menu Mon to Fri €18, a la carte €30 to €45.
upscale
Adolfo, La
Granada 6, Hombrs de Palo 7. Tel: +34 925 227321. Open: Sun closed
evenings. Price: menu € 49, a la carte € 60 to 75.
La Lumbre, Real de
Arrabal 5. Tel.: +34 925 220373. Price: €40.
As de Espada, Paseo de
la Rosa 64. Tel.: +34 925 212707. Price: €50.
Toletum – the Toledo of the Romans and Visigoths
The first
permanent settlement in the urban area is a series of castles from the
Celtiberian period. Archaeological finds of Toledo surrounded by a city
wall were made at Cerro del Bú, which are presented in the Museo de
Santa Cruz in Toledo.
In 192 BC BC the Roman general M. Fulvius
Nobilior subdued the settlement against strong resistance from the
shepherd tribe of the Carpetani who settled here and founded the Toletum
outpost. Due to its iron ore deposits, Toledo developed into an
important settlement that minted its own coins. Numerous villas, the
remains of which have been excavated, testify to a thorough Romanization
of the settlement, which was supplied with water by an aqueduct (not
preserved).
Since the first barbarian invasions, the ancient
walls have been reinforced for defensive purposes. In 411 the Alans
briefly conquered the city. In the later 5th century the Visigoths.
Toledo was the capital of the kingdom of the Visigoths from about 531 to
711, who made the city the seat of an Arian archbishopric. In 589 their
king converted to Catholicism. At that time, the city experienced a late
antique aftergrowth. Its civil and religious importance is underscored
by the fact that 18 councils met here between 400 and 702, including the
fourth of 633, led by the famous encyclopedist Isidore of Seville.
Ṭulayṭula – Toledo as part of al-Andalus
The Moors conquered the
capital of the Visigoth Empire in 712. Toledo flourished during the
Moorish period as Ṭulayṭula (طليطلة) during the Caliphate of Córdoba and
as the capital of the Taifa of the Ḏū n-Nūnids until the conquest by
Alfonso VI. on May 25, 1085 after a four-year siege. When taking Toledo
used Alfonso VI. the help of El Cid. The city then withstood six attacks
by the Moors (see also Reconquista).
The primacy of the Iberian
Church
Only a few years after the Christian conquest of Toledo,
Archbishop Bernard of Toledo obtained confirmation from Pope Urban II in
1088 that Toledo should hold the “primatus in totis Hispaniarum regnis”
(primacy in all kingdoms of the Iberian dominions). But it was not until
more than a century later that one of his successors, the historian
Rodrigo Jiménez de Rada, Archbishop of Toledo from 1209 until his death
in 1247, succeeded in tying that title to Toledo. The Archbishop of
Toledo is today Primate of the Spanish Catholic Church and for a long
time was one of the most powerful prince-bishops in Spain own soldiers
involved.
Toledo was considered a stronghold of armorers (Toledo
steel). Roman troops were supplied with swords from Toledo. Emperor
Charles V (1500-1558) also had his swords made there. During the Moorish
rule, the smiths developed a special technique for embellishing blades,
in which fine gold wire and ornamental parts cut out of thin sheet steel
were hammered onto previously roughened steel surfaces and then embossed
with fine punches.
Favored by the coexistence of different
high-level languages (Standard Arabic, Hebrew, Latin) and vernacular
languages (Arabic-Andalusian, Romanesque-Castilian) and the
multilingualism of the Mozarabic and Jewish population in particular,
Toledo became an important center for the translation of Arabic in the
12th and 13th centuries Writings in Latin and Romance. (Gerard of
Cremona is one of the outstanding personalities of the Toledo School of
Translation). This promoted the spread of Arabic philosophy and science
and their ancient Greek sources in Europe.
After the conquest by
the Christian troops under Alfonso VI. Toledo became the capital of the
Kingdom of Castile in 1087 and remained the capital of Spain until 1561.
Philip II moved his residence to Madrid, 71 km away, which is
geographically almost exactly in the center of the Iberian Peninsula and
approximately the same distance from all more distant port cities.
During the Spanish Civil War, Toledo was the scene of the siege of
the Alcázar.