Thoughts and Photos on Toledo

Located in the Spanish province of La Mancha and home to Cervantes and Don Quixote, the walled medieval fortress of Toledo is a city of twisted alleyways, sophisticated souvenir shops, enticing foods and buildings of no small renown. And no wonder, this World Heritage city is one of the former capitals of Spain and contains a past heavy in the influence of Christian, Jewish and Moorish cultures.

As indicated in my earlier posts, I greatly enjoyed my time in Spain, but there was something particularly special about my day in Toledo. These photos may just make you agree.

Bah! These walls will never stop me.

Bridge Over the River Tagus. Hmmm, not quite the same ring about it.


Looking over the Tagus River Valley between the two hills of Toledo, this fortress must have caused many a headache for the forces of the reconquista.

What mysteries lie beyond... Of these I will speak.

A large gathering outside one of the many churches in Toledo. Poor old tourist that I was, I wasn't quite sure what was happening. There was even a TV crew present.

The great Don Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (author of Don Quixote). Or at least a statue of him.

One of many Tapas bars in Toledo.

I have never yet seen Souvenir shops with such consistent quality available. The prices were reasonable as well.

The Cathedral de Toledo, the primate Catholic church of Spain.

Wikipedia Excerpt:
"The cathedral of Toledo (Catedral de Toledo) was modeled after the Bourges Cathedral though it also combines some characteristics of the Mudéjar style. It is remarkable for its incorporation of light and features the Baroque altar called El Transparente, several stories high, with fantastic figures of stucco, painting, bronze castings, and multiple colors of marble, a masterpiece of medieval mixed media by Narciso Tomé topped by the daily effect for just a few minutes of a shaft light that this feature of the cathedral derives its name."

hehe!!
A variety of shots from inside the Cathedral de Toledo.

A truly wonderful experience, of which mere superlatives do not do justice.

More souvenir shops to tempt the tourist's budget.

The former Synagogue of El Transito in the distance. After the expulsion of the city's Jews under the Alhambra decree in 1492, it was converted into a church.

hehe!!


Toledo is more than just an impressively constructed medieval city however. It is a symbol of something we now take for granted (or some of us even impugn) in contemporary liberal secular countries. Under the Moorish rule of the Caliphate of Cordoba, Toledo enjoyed a golden age of what might be termed multiculturalism . This extensive period (known as La Convivencia, the co-existence of Jews, Christians, and Muslims), is a symbol for how things might be better in the future between the three great monotheistic religions of this age's world.