Trifter

The city of Toledo lies at the heart of Spain, some 70km south of Madrid. It used to be a capital of Spain. Today it has the surprisingly small population of just 78,000 people.

Toledo is built like a rock, on a rock. Around it boils the river Tagus.

Source: Wikipedia

From the fall of Rome until the coming of the Moors in the eighth century, Toledo was capital of the Visigoth kingdom.  When this kingdom fell the town prospered under the Caliphate of Cordoba that was established by a Syrian prince in exile. Toledo had a reputation as a society in which Christian, Jew and Muslim prospered side by side.

Toledo played a significant role in bringing Arab knowledge to the West.  In 1085 the Christina King Alfonso VI of Castile captured the city. Rather than sack the Arab libraries he established teams that translated the scripts into Spanish and Latin.

For a short while, Toledo was the capital of Castile, and by implication Spain.

Toledo is an important religious centre.  The archbishop of Toledo is the most senior churchman in Spain.  His authority dates from the council of Toledo in AD 681. 

Toledo was famed its ironwork, particularly swords.  Toledo craftsmen developed the espada ropera. This was an intermediate, lighter than a sword, but heavier than a rapier.  These narrow swords still retained a cutting edge but were intended to be part of a gentleman’s dress rather than for use in the field. 

The great painter El Greco spent part of his life in Toledo and painted the following view of the town in about AD 1600.

The contemporary town is dominated by two very large buildings.

The cathedral is considered the finest high Gothic cathedral in Spain.  It was built between 1226-1493 with Baroque additions.  A story says that the cathedral has five naves to wide out all trace of the mosque that used to stand on the site.

Toledo Cathedral. Source: Wikipedia

The Alcazar has a special place in Spanish history.  The site predates 1085 when Alfonso VI strengthened an existing fortress.  When French troops under the command of Marshal Soult left the building during the Napoleonic Wars, they burned it down.  It was restored, then famously blown up during a siege in the opening moves of the Spanish Civil War in 1936. Since the War it has been restored and is now part of the national library. 

The Alcazar. Source: Wikipedia

This is another town on my long list of places to visit.