Visit Toledo to understand how different faiths and dynasties contributed to the Spanish city's contemporary urban fabric.
Less than an hour away from the lively Spanish capital of Madrid stands the underrated fortress town of Toledo, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO over three decades ago. A former capital of Spain, the historical centre of Toledo sits on a massive hilly rock, embraced by the life-giving Tajo river. Walking around the city's large gates, stone bridges and narrow streets is a refreshing experience.
A city of layered history, you can find the world's smallest window (inscribed with Arabic writing) here, beautifully crafted ‘Damascene’ jewellery and objects inspired by Syrian craftsmanship and sophisticated swords, celebrating the city’s past of being a powerhouse for steel production.
But perhaps the most important aspect about Toledo is the historical coexistence of the three monotheistic religions of Islam, Christianity and Judaism, practiced under Muslim rule (781 — 1085 AD) and the subsequential reign of King Alphonse VI – and the magnificent architecture is still standing as proof. Architecture lovers have the chance to visit churches, synagogues and one of the oldest mosques in Spain. Amidst a contemporary climate of religious tensions and destruction of heritage monuments, the architectural landscape of Toledo shows us of how things might look like in an atmosphere of mutual respect and peace.
What to see in Toledo, Spain?
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Stepping inside the city's main railway station is surprisingly a visual delight, studded with geometric Andalusian tiles, stained glass, imposing wall arches and an impressively engraved wooden ceiling. The exterior, made of brownish-red stone, is elegant too, accompanied by a tall clock tower and a repetitive pattern of pointy green and white crenellations and horseshoe arches. The station may be small in scale, compared to other major ones in the country, but it is quaint, cosy and quiet and one of the most charming in Spain. Designed in the Neo-Mudejar style, marrying Moorish and European aesthetics, Toledo Station is over 100 years old, inaugurated in 1919 and masterminded by the Madrid-born architect, Narciso Claverria y de Palacios. Visit Toledo to discover this historic railway station, Alcázar de Toledo - A 16th-century Moorish fortress - and Puente de Alcántara, A Roman arch bridge on the western side of Toledo that once served as the entrance to the walled city, to appreciate architecture from different eras all in one place.
Constructed in 999 AD, this intimate holy place, formerly called Bab Al-Mardum Mosque, was built by the patron Ahmad Ibn Hadidi, who funded this architectural project, in a residential area for Toledo's Muslim community. Today, it is considered a precious landmark for it is the only mosque (out of the original ten, built during Moorish rule) that remains intact. The inside part is comprised of twelve entwined horseshoe arches resting on columns and you can see hints of red-and-black-painted Arabic calligraphy on the mosque's walls. When Christian forces occupied the city, the brick-layered mosque was typically converted into a chapel, which explains the monument's unusual name 'The Christ of Light', in 1085. Some artistic additions were made such as including now-faded murals of biblical angels and saints, as well as a large depiction of possibly Jesus Christ, the archbishop or clergyman who sponsored the fresco, in the apse of the building.
Another must-see site of historical interest and a museum of artefacts is the two-level El Transito synagogue, which is apparently one of the three surviving medieval Jewish temples in all of Spain. The rectangular structure was built between 1336 and 1357 by an influential figure in the royal court, Samuel Ha-Levi, who received authorisation from King Pedro I to construct the synagogue. After members of the Jewish and Muslim communities were expelled in 1492 from the Christian-ruled nation, the synagogue, located in the Jewish Quarter, was reincarnated over the centuries; serving as a hospital, church, asylum and military barracks. Aesthetically, the high ceiling interior is rich with delicate Hebrew biblical inscriptions and ornate plasterwork rendering floral, vegetal and geometric motifs. In the old days, the upper level of the synagogue, topped with a star-decorated wooden ceiling, accommodated female worshippers, in an area known as the ‘Women’s Gallery'.
Sitting on the site of what used to be a mosque, the construction of the Gothic Toledo Cathedral began in the early 1200s. Its glittering interiors show influences from the Renaissance, Baroque and Mudejar styles. It houses a giant painted wooden altarpiece, intricately carved choir stalls, stained glass windows and classical murals portraying the life of Jesus Christ. An unmissable part of the cathedral is the vibrant Chapter House, covered with a golden and brown ceiling and containing walls that showcase paintings of archbishops over the years.
Visit Toledo for the museum and home dedicated to El Greco, the celebrated Greek-born artist of the Spanish Renaissance who arrived in the city in 1577 and lived there until his last day in 1614. Widely collected by international museums, he is known for his solemn portraits of noblemen, clergymen and apostolates. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is a custodian of El Greco's works and houses what they claim to be his "greatest landscape" – a moody view of hilly Toledo, executed around 1600. Opened in 1910, a time of renewed appreciation for the artist, the El Greco Museum seeks to recreate his home life in a centuries-old house with a calming courtyard, kitchen and studio. A modern extension was built to display a selection of his artworks.
