Only seventy miles south from Madrid, Toledo is the capital of the Castile province, Spain. Home to an extremely valuable monumental heritage, Toledo has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO considering its extensive representative dimension for the coexistence of three cultures: Christian, Jewish and Moorish.
The old Spanish tradition says that Toledo was founded by Jewish colonists in 540 BC, and its initial name was Toledoch. In 193 BC, the city was invaded and conquered by the Romans who called it Toleturn. Between the 8th and the 11th centuries, it was occupied by the Moors, and it remained a Muslim city until King Alfonso IV of Castille conquered it.
Its later history brought a lot of history charge through the no less than thirty synods that were held there from the 5th to the 16th century. It was in Toledo, that the King of the Visigoth Empire declared his conversion to Christianity. Unlike other Spanish cities, the non-Christians were tolerated to live freely in Toledo. This explains the mixture of culture to this day.
The co-existence of Jews, Muslims and Christians led to the formation of one of the most important language schools in the Middle Ages, The Toledo Translators School. Now let’s take a look at where modern Toledo stands! One of the main attractions is the Gothic Cathedral, built between the 13th and the 16th century. There are five naves and seven chapels, with the Santiago Chapel and the Mozarabic Chapel among the most famous.
However the best known is the Cathedral that houses the extraordinary El Greco collection, it is perhaps the most famous cathedral in Spain that many tourists also visit as a museum. Remember that Toledo is also the place that gave Europe its best swords, so if you are interested in souvenirs, there are plenty of Damascene swords, armors and knives for you to choose from.
Another famous religious settlement of Toledo is San Juan de los Reyes Monastery. However, there are other temples including Jewish Synagogues and Islamic Mosques, for instance the major Toledo Mosque is La Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz, built in the 10th century. If you go to go to the centre of the city in Plaza Zocodover, you can visit all the major city attractions on foot.