Toledo

Toledo

 

The double headed eagle is the symbol of Spain and represents the connection between the church and the state.

 

Toledo is the old Visigoth capital and Imperial City of Spain. This fortified city of three cultures is noted for its Christian, Jewish and Islamic residents all living peacefully together during the 13th century with a combination of cultures and styles resulting in a city with unique characteristics.

 

This walled city is home to the second largest cathedral in Spain. The building, started in the first century, was a Mosque until the 19th century when it became a Christian Cathedral with soaring ceilings and filled with light. There are fifteen side chapels and one of the most ornate choirs in Spain. The Cathedral houses a remarkable collection of art works by such luminaries as El Greco, Goya, Titan and Rubens as well as a Treasury filled with gold, silver and the most amazing collection of jewelled crowns and crosses.

 

The real deal!

 

The master himself......

..... and the apprentice!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Franciscan monastery of San Juan de Los Reyes was built by the Catholic monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand as their final resting place. It is a haven of peace with some of the best cloisters and Mudéjar ornamentation.

There are reminders of Toledo's Jewish history on many of the streets in the form of small tiles in the pavement bearing the Menorah symbol.

 

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