Toledo is one of the largest provinces of Spain, and is the capital of the community of Castilla La Mancha. The province of Toledo is famous for two main reasons. Firstly for its windmills and for being one of the places where Cervantes located the adventures of Don Quijote de la Mancha; and secondly for being the home of the beautiful city of Toledo, declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
During the 13th century Toledo became one of the few places in Spain where Moors, Christians and Jews managed to live together and tolerate each other more or less peacefully, and the combination of styles and cultures which resulted from this period in Toledo's history create the city's unique characteristics. Visitors can still admire the remains of churches, mosques and sinagogues built during this time.
Toledo became a fortified city under Roman occupation - its location on a hilltop above the River Tajo made it an ideal fortress, and from that moment on the city became one of Spain's most important political, economic and cultural centres. The Visigods named Toledo their capital, and it retained its importance under Arab occupation. When the Spanish armies regained control of the city, it became the official residence to the Spanish Kings and Queens until the 16th Century. It has been declared as a national monument and, as the religious centre of Spain, is often referred to as 'La Ciudad Imperial' (The Imperial City).
There are many historical monuments and museums in Toledo, including:
- The Cathedral of Toledo - Founded in the 1st Century by San Eugenio, the first Bishop of Toledo. It was changed into a mosque by the Arabs during Moorish occupation of Spain, and then converted back into a cathedral by Alfonso VI. In the 13th Century it was destroyed and the impressive Gothic building which can be seen today was built on the old cathedral's foundations. At the Museo de Taller del Moro (the Taller del Moro Museum), you can learn more about its construction.
- El Alcázar (The Alcázar) - Founded in 1085, this outstanding castle was used as a fortress by Romans, Visigods, Arabs and Christians. King Alfonso VI built his residence here and some of Spain's most prestigious artists and architects intervened in the construction of the royal palace. It was destroyed in the 18th century during the War of Succession, reconstructed only to be badly damaged a few years later in a fire and rebuilt yet again. The last time the palace was destroyed was during the outbreak of the Spanish 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.
- Museum of El Greco - The famous Spanish painter El Greco lived in this house which today has an impressive exhibition of his paintings, as well as exhibits of other artists.
- Hospital de Tavera (Tavera Hospital) - 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.
- Museum of Victorio Macho - used to be the home of Macho, a famous sculptor, is now a museum containing some of his best known sculptures.
- Museum Parroquía de Santo Tomé - This museum is where El Greco's most famous painting, The Buriel of the Count of Orgaz (El Entierro del Conde de Orgaz) is exhibited.
It is possible to visit all the main attractions within the walled city on foot and even though you can't do them justice in such a short time, it is perfectly feasible to get round them all in one day.
