Toledo: The Cosmopolitan European City of the Middle Age
The “City of the Three Cultures” is also known for the cultural influences of Christians, Muslims, and Jews throughout its history.
Having been born and raised in Latin America, from a very young age, I have felt a curiosity to know my roots, and this has guided my willingness to visit countries such as Greece, Spain, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom that have contributed the most to shape our culture and values.
The importance of Toledo in the Middle Ages
From Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toledo,_Spain), I have taken the following information on Toledo’s location, culture, and history.
Toledo lies on the right (north) bank of the Tagus River in central Spain. It is known as the “City of the Three Cultures” for the cultural influences of Christians, Muslims, and Jews throughout its history. It was the capital of the Visigothic Kingdom from 542 to 725 CE. The city was the seat of a powerful archdiocese for much of its history and has a Gothic Cathedral.
The Roman circus in Toledo was one of the largest in Hispania. The circus could hold up to 15,000 spectators. Games were held in the circus late into the 4th and early 5th centuries.
Throughout the 7th century, a series of church councils — the so-called Councils of Toledo — discussed the theological reconciliations on Nicene Christianity; they were held in Toledo under the Visigoths. By the end of the 7th century, the bishop of Toledo was the leader of all other bishops in Hispania, a situation unusual in Europe. It was also unmatched as a symbolic center of the monarchy.
In 1986, UNESCO included Toledo as a World Heritage Site for its extensive monumental and cultural heritage.
On one of the visits that my wife and I made to Rome, a tourist guide recommended that we pause and contemplate the facade of the temples and prepare our minds for a more genuine and respectful appreciation rather than rush to cover more monuments each day.
From this experience, I draw my first recommendation: when you first visit Toledo, start with the monuments from the Visigoths’ period, then the Muslim, the Jewish, and ending with the late Christian era in the Middle Ages.
By following its most renowned sites, starting with the Cathedral, you will end up tired and with an enormous list of places, artistic styles, and traditions that are difficult to understand and more so to remember. You should avoid visiting Toledo during summer: it is hot and crowded.
Tips to enjoy Toledo without being worn out
If you arrive in Toledo by train from Madrid (with the AVE high-speed train, it will take about 30 minutes at an affordable price), as you walk towards the main entrance, take some minutes to enjoy the scenery, especially the river and the walled city. You will then arrive at Plaza de Zocodover, the starting point of your visit: explore the square, which is one of the must places to visit; enjoy a coffee with a typical sweet of the city, the Mazapan (Marzipan, consisting primarily of sugar and almond.)
Walk then towards the Puerta de Bisagra Nueva, a gate from Moorish origin where your tour starts. Nearby, you’ll find the Mosque of Cristo de la Luz, a well-preserved monument to visit. Again, take your time to enjoy the view from the patio and the peace of mind one feels inside any sacred place.
During its occupation of Spain, Arabs contributed to the character, art, and culture of the Iberian Peninsula and Latin America (beyond the Spanish-speaking countries). As in Andalusia, you will notice how nature and water played in their architecture. A visit to Toledo helps us connect with this mix of Moorish and Christian culture typical of the Iberian peninsula.
From the Moorish corner, I recommend heading towards the Jewish Quarter and Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca. Observe the difference between the Moorish and the Jewish architecture. The visit to the Synagogue impresses us with its contrast between the austerity of its exterior and the richness and beauty of its interior: with the arches, pillars, and decorations.
During the walk in the Jewish quarter enjoy its well-preserved architecture, which tells us of its relevance and role in the Median Ages.
By now, one should program a brake and enjoy lunch in one of the many options available in its historic quarter. During summer, the city gets crowded with tourists, so one should plan and make a reservation to eat and rest. The afternoon is the most energy-demanding, and temperatures could rise above 40 degrees C. Make sure you have plenty of water to drink to avoid dehydration.
In my experience, one should dedicate the afternoon to visiting Toledo’s Cathedral, one of the most iconic churches in Spain, built on top of a Muslim mosque. With your ticket, you get a digital guide for your visit. You should allow for 2 + hours to complete the visit. Once you finish, you will have covered half of the Christian-era monuments, some religious, but also of artistic, historical, and even military backgrounds. The most renowned are:
- The Alcázar of Toledo (a stone fortification located in the highest part of Toledo)
- The burial of the Count of Orgaz, a masterpiece by El Greco (in the church of Santo Tomé)
- The monastery of San Juan de los Reyes
- Bridge of San Martin (look for directions on the way out of the monastery). The view of the bridge built over the river is breathtaking.
For a complete visit to Toledo, I recommend an overnight stay to visit these places the following day. The Parador de Toledo, a hotel built in Mudejar style, offers a pleasant stay and a beautiful view of the walled city.
The most important lesson I learned from our visits to Toledo comes from its history as the capital of Spain in the Medieval Ages. Toledo and Cordova (Andalusia) represented the most advanced civilizations in the West during the Middle Ages. The Arabs reintroduced Greek philosophy and shared their scientific advances, especially in mathematics, astrology, and medicine, during the eight centuries of occupation of the Iberian Peninsula. The practice of the three great monotheistic religions, Christian, Muslim, and Jewish, was possible for centuries.
