Toledo is one of the Spanish cities with the greatest wealth of monuments. Known as the "city of the three cultures", because Christians, Arabs, and Jews lived together here for centuries, behind its walls Toledo preserves an artistic and cultural legacy in the form of churches, palaces, fortresses, mosques and synagogues. This great diversity of artistic styles makes the old quarter of the capital of La Mancha a real open-air museum, which has led to it being declared a World Heritage Site.

Toledo is also a city linked to deep popular traditions, as the procession of the Most Holy Corpus Christi, a festival declared of International Tourist Interest, demonstrates every year.

The city of Toledo has its origins in Toletum, the name the Romans gave to this settlement on the banks of the River Tagus after its conquest in 190 BC. The city maintained its importance for centuries and, in the Visigothic era, became the capital of Hispania (6th C.). The arrival of the Arabs in the 8th century, together with the presence of Christians and Jews, made Toledo the "city of the three cultures". This was one of the Toledo's most splendid periods when, among other important events, the Toledo School of Translators was founded. Later, when Carlos V came to the throne in 1519, the city became an imperial capital.

The way that Christians, Arabs and Jews lived side by side for centuries has been reflected in the form of a great artistic and cultural legacy. The maze of streets making up the historic centre of Toledo is only bounded by walls in which many gates were opened. The Bisagra gate, presided over by two bodies and a great imperial shield forms the main access to the city within the walls. This noble gate, of Muslim origin, includes a central courtyard and was altered during the reign of Carlos I (Emperor Carlos V)I. The Alfonso VI gate or Vieja de Bisagra gate, built in 838, is one of the most faithful reflections of Muslim art in the city. The Sol gate was built in the 13th century in Mudejar style and contains the remains of a paleochristian sarcophagus.

Via these and other entrances you can reach picturesque places, like the Plaza de Zocodover. In the Arab period, this central space housed an important market, and festivals and all kinds of social events were held here. Nowadays the square, surrounded by buildings with porches, continues to be one of the busiest places in the city.

Synagogues, mosques and churches jostle in the narrow streets of Toledo, which is characterised by the mixture of artistic styles.

The Mosque of Cristo de la Luz, which predates the Christian reconquest, was built in 999 as a copy of the Mosque at Córdoba. It is an unusual building with a square floor plan covered by nine caliphal vaults (a type of groined vault leaving the centre free).

Good examples from the Mozarabs (Christians who lived under Moslem rule) are the churches of San Sebastián and Santa Eulalia, while the Mudejars left in Toledo a style with rich Arab decoration. Santiago del Arrabal is one of the best examples of this style in the city, which has led this church also being known as the Mudejar Cathedral.

The same Mudejar style can be seen in the church of Santo Tomé, famous for housing El Greco's famous picture entitled "El entierro del Conde Orgaz" (The burial of Count Orgaz).

If there is one person's name that defines Toledo it is that of El Greco (16th-17th C.). His House-Museum, a palace with the atmosphere of the period, exhibits some of the best works of the painter who made the city world famous.

Remains of the Jewish community are still preserved in the city in the synagogues of Santa María la Blanca and El Tránsito. The former, built possibly in the 12th century, is also a good example of Toledo's Mudejar art.

One of the most outstanding buildings in the city is the Cathedral, considered one of the high points of Gothic art. The construction of this monumental building, with a basilica floor plan and five naves, because in 1226, although it was not finished until the 15th century. This is reflected in the great superimposition of styles in the building and the large number of renowned artists who left their mark on the church: from Pedro Berruguete, to Enrique Egás, Petrus Petri and Juan Guas.

Also Gothic are the San Martín bridge, which was built in the 13th century with its two characteristic defensive towers, and the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes. The Renaissance mark on Toledo can be appreciated in the Hospital de Tavera, turned into a museum housing pictures by El Greco, Ribera and Titian, among others.

Meanwhile, the Fortress, of medieval origin, presides over the whole city with its imposing image and contains a military museum and one of the largest public libraries in Spain.

You can obtain more information about Toledo in this links:

Toledo Tourist Information

Toledo Map

Toledo is probably best visited during spring and summer as this is when the weather is usually warm and often sunny. May, June, September and early October are sunny months, with very warm temperatures. Autumns are also very pleasant, with reasonably high temperatures and plenty of sunshine. Winters are often sunny, but the evenings can become quite cold and crisp, although the air is refreshing and at this time of the year occasional snowfalls are not uncommon.

Spain is a member of the European Union (EU) and has adopted the euro. The official language of Toledo is Spanish, but you can use English in hotels and touristic places.

Toledo is not a big city and the historical area is hilly, so the best way of touring is by foot.

HOTEL SAN JUAN DE LOS REYES ****

Economic accomodation:

HOSTAL CENTRO **

HOSTAL ALJIBILLOS **

HOSTAL PALACIOS **

HOSTAL LA CAMPANA **

HOSTAL ALFONSO XII **

From Madrid Barajas airport:

• Option 1: Take line 8 of the metro (pink) as far as Nuevos Ministerios. Change to RENFE Cercanías (Regional trains) as far as Atocha RENFE.There take the RENFE - AVE to Toledo.
• Option 2: Take line 8 of the metro (pink) as far as Nuevos Ministerios. Then take line 6 (grey- circular) as far as Méndez Álvaro Bus Station. There buy a ticket at Compañía Continental.

You can find more detail information about that here.

If you need any other information about how to arrive, you may contact us at flacos09@dsi.uclm.es.