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Tourist Attractions in Toledo |
Toledo, SpainA fort founded in 1085, that was once the royal residence of Carlos I, the Alcázar has been demolished and restored many times, most recently during the Civil War. Franco had it rebuilt into a military museum. In the past the Alcázar has been used as an army school, as well as a prison.
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Built in 1541 for Juan Pardo de Tavera, a 16th-century Archbishop of Toledo. Nowadays the building is home to an art collection, which includes Titian's 'Portrait of Emperor Carlos' V, Claudio Coelle's painting of Princess Clara Eugenia, El Greco's 'Baptism of Christ' and Ribera's unusual portrait of a bearded woman.
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This impressive, sixteenth-century gateway is undoubtedly one of the finest entrances to the ancient city. Built by Covarrubias in 1555, it more than merits the adjective "imperial". On the facade, there is a gigantic coat of arms of Castille and Leon kingdom and the two-headed eagle which represented the reign of the Spanish monarchs during the Habsburg Empire. The gateway is formed by two buildings joined by a patio and crenellated wall.
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In the 16th century, the Greek religious painter El Greco made his home in the old Jewish quarter. It is debatable as to whether he actually resided in the house originally built by Samuel Levi, a friend and adviser to King Peter I of Castile. In 1910, Don Benigno de Vega-Inclán started the museum. Today El Greco's distinguished work can be found on display, including 'Vista y Plano de Toledo / A View and Map of Toledo' and 'Portrait of St. Peter'.
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A uniquely beautiful building whose five naves are separated by stone columns supporting delicate horseshoe arches. The walls are starkly white. It most resembles a mosque, though it never was. You'll see fine examples of decorative plasterwork and blind arches inside. It was built as Toledo's main synagogue in 1180 (4940 in the Jewish calendar), but as a result of Saint Vicente Ferrer's anti-Semitic preaching, it was commandeered and converted into a Catholic church at the beginning of the 15th century. It later fulfilled many functions before falling into a terrible state of disrepair. Fortunately, it has now been restored to its former grandeur and is open to the public.
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An architectural jewel of the Spanish Gothic style whose outstanding features are the cloisters and the arched galleries. The ground floor houses numerous sculptures along with some fine carved stone reliefs depicting images of animals and vegetation. The upper storey has a richly decorated mudejar-style ceiling. The church's interior is a riot of decor containing delicate arches, coats-of-arms, huge eagles and a star-shaped dome. You'll find it by Puerta del Cambron gate.
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