Cathedral de Toledo

This grand cathedral rises above all other buildings in Toledo with the exception of the nearby Alcazar. The Cathedral de Toledo is an impressive example of Gothic architecture, and is home to many treasures. You may have heard of El Greco, the famous painter, sculptor, and architect who made Toledo his home and painted many of his best works here. He created a unique painting style with bold colors and themes of mystical spirituality. The Sacristy inside is actually a small art gallery and houses some of his artwork as well as that of Goya and Van Dyck. However, there are also things to see on the outside! Here are three doorways with very interesting names: The Door of Forgiveness, with a portrayal of the Last Supper, the Door of Judgment, with a portrayal of the Judgment Day, and the Door of Hell, which, contrary to what you might think, is decorated with flowers and plants. The main door is usually closed, and only opens for ceremonies and processions.

Inside the Cathedral there are many pieces of treasure, but the most extravagant one is the Custodia de Arte, made in the early 1500’s. It is incredibly heavy because it is made of 40 lbs of pure gold and 403 lbs of pure silver! There is even a legend that it was made out of the first gold from America. The alter is also one of the Cathedral’s treasures, with images of Jesus’ life in the Gothic art style.

Museo del Ejército

The Army Museum in Toledo is the combination of several Spanish military museums. The original, the Royal Military Museum, had been divided into smaller, more specific museums since its inception in 1803 and then in 1932 they had the idea to make a new museum to combine everything, and that is how the Army Museum was founded. The museum is in Toledo’s Alcázar, which has survived three fires, a siege, and served many different uses throughout the ages.

Workshops

Visit the swordmaking workshop of one of Toledo’s best metal forgers- Mariano Zamorano. Toledo has been known for a long time for its metal forging, and at Zamorano’s workshop you get to see the whole process.

Iglesia de San Ildefonso

This church offers an amazing panoramic view of medieval Toledo, with the Alcázar and the cathedral’s tower rising above everything else. This church is an excellent example of Baroque style architecture. Back in the 16th century the Jesuits wanted to create a school for Toledo, and after moving around a bit, they found the peaceful San Ildefonso house. They bought it in 1569 and expanded it to the large church you see today.

Plaza de Zocodover

This plaza is the center of town! There are restaurants and cafés with excellent views for people-watching. Zocodover means animal market in arabic, and that’s because from 1465 all the way to the 1960s it was an open-air market. There were also bullfights and executions during the Inquisition. One of the entrances is called the Arch of Blood because a group of men called the Brotherhood of Blood used to give some final words to those who were condemned to death in the square.