MAJESTIC AND MEDIEVAL AND JUST 30 MINUTES FROM MADRID, Toledo was known as the "city of three cultures’" in the Middle Ages, where Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities coexisted. Today, influences of the cultures continue to be seen in the architecture, densely packing a few dozen impressive buildings in a hilly, walled town.
Wander the winding cobbled paths leading to mosques, synagogues, castles and cathedrals with Sephardic, Visigothic and Roman roots. The Catedral Primada Santa María de Toledo is a High Gothic cathedral considered to be the magnum opus of the Gothic Style in Spain. The Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca is the oldest synagogue building in Europe still standing. The Alcázar is a fortress and former Roman palace perched on the city's highest peak. There are city gates dating back to the 10th century, and bridges from Roman and Medieval times.
Culture has always been celebrated in Toledo, preserving the intellectual and artistic fruits of its historical periods. Even after the Castillian conquest, the city maintained its Arab libraries, with Muslim and Jewish scholars translating Arabic or Hebrew books into Spanish, and then into Latin. Art and artefacts also abound, with the Museo de Tapices y Textiles dedicated to tapestries, and the Museo del Ejército housing an extensive display of military treasures, including a full room of medieval armor.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Toledo is a gem of a city transporting you back to a world of castles and conquests. Best served with a cold glass of tinto de verano.
Museo de Tapices y Textiles, La Catedral Primada Santa María de Toledo, El Trébol, Alcázar de Toledo, Castillo de San Servando, Casco Historico de Toledo, Spain.
COMMENTS
Post a Comment