A day in Toledo

There are several interesting sights around Madrid;we choose to visit Toledo. Leaving early by bus from Madrid's Plaza Eliptical terminal, it was an easy trip.  Set in an arid and mountainous landscape, Toledo's elegant towers reach to the skies. 

Entering through Puerta de Bisagra Nueva, we walkt through its silent and narrow streets, we discovered a small taberna with brick lined walls where we had our cafe con leche and a ham sandwich...for an amazing 2,20 euros per person. 

Tourists were nowhere to be seen...but as we got close to the cathedral, things looked different.

The wait to buy tickets was well worth it: it was a jewel of a cathedral. The Toledo cathedral is one of three 13th century "high"Gothic Cathedral in Spain (the other two are located in Burgos and Leon) and many consider it a jewel of this type of architecture. It took 250 years before completion and so, its interior is rich with several styles, masterpieces of Gothic, renaissance and Baroque periods.

The retable of the Cathedral of Toledo is a wonderful  Gothic altarpiece.  Commissioned by Cardinal Cisneros, the work was begun in 1497 and finished in 1504.

Popular tradition has it that the cathedral was built on the site of a church from the era of the first Archbishop Eugene (Saint Eugene of Toledo). Hence, the red bishop hat hanging from the high ceilings.

A stunning features of the Cathedral is the Baroque altarpiece called El Transparente. Its name refers to the unique illumination provided by a large skylight cut very high up into the thick wall across the ambulatory behind the high altar, and another hole cut into the back of the altarpiece itself to allow shafts of sunlight to strike the tabernacle...it was a challenge to photograph!

And to our delight, wonderful artwork by El Greco "The disrobing of Christ" whose colours are just stunning.

And a magnificent Goya, Betrayal of Christ, adorning the walls of the Sacristy.

Toledo proved to be a delightful town with a lively street full of interesting shops. One specialty of Toledo is its high quality and unusually hard steel.  Toledo has been a traditional sword-making, steel-working centre since about 500 BC, and came to the attention of Rome when used by Hannibal in the Punic Wars. Soon, it became a standard source of weaponry for Roman legions. Imagine!!! The number of shops selling all kind of weaponry is amazing.





Other Toledian specialties are of the edible sort. Amazing marzipan shops! And, several degustation sites for their regional ham or jamoneria.  While we had been eating jamon since our arrival in Spain, the Iberic ham was an absolute delight. It melted in one's mouth.

Towards the end of the afternoon, realizing that our stay was going to an end, we paid a visit to the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes; This monastery was initially conceived to be the mausoleum of the Catholic Monarchs (Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon). They would change their plans later, choosing Granada as their burial place, after its reconquest in 1492. Although the interior is described as being a fabulous example of  Gothic style with Spanish and Flemish influences with Mudejar decorations, we only admired the outside facades. To symbolize the victory of the Christians in the years-long Granada campaign, the massive granite exterior facades are festooned, as per the Queen's order of 1494, with the manacles and shackles worn by Christian prisoners from Granada held by the Moors (and then released when Granada fell to the hands of Christians).!

Toledo would be worth another visit... Before leaving, we sat down admiring the Tagus river flowing towards Lisboa...where we were last year at that time!!! The Tagus is a very long river, indeed!

And next time, we might be able to appreciate Toledo by night...