Holy Toledo!

Last weekend I visited Toledo, 30 minutes south of Madrid via high-speed train.

Toledo was the capital of Spain from 1085 to 1561. Its heyday was the 14th century. The city has remained largely unchanged for the past 150 years. The Spanish government forbids any modern building to be built. The city was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 for its extensive cultural and monumental heritage as one of the former capitals of the Spanish Empire and place of coexistence of Christian, Muslim and Jewish cultures.

The city was so preserved and quaint. I really enjoyed it, even though it’s so hilly. They say every destination in Toledo is uphill, and it certainly felt like it! I’m very glad I went.

View all the pictures below…

: Puente Nuevo de Alcantara.

: View of the city from the scenic Camino Valle.

: View of the city from the scenic Camino Valle.

: View of the city from the scenic Camino Valle.

: View of the city from the scenic Camino Valle.

: View of the city from the scenic Camino Valle.

: View of the city from the scenic Camino Valle.

: Some kind of weird centipede!

: Plaza Zocodover.

: Museo Santa Cruz.

: View towards the Toledo Cathedral.

: Toledo Cathedral.

: Toledo Cathedral.

: From Plaza de la Virgen de Gracia, overlooking San Juan de los Reyes Monasterio.

: San Juan de los Reyes Monasterio.

: San Juan de los Reyes Monasterio.

: San Juan de los Reyes Monasterio.

: San Juan de los Reyes Monasterio.

: San Juan de los Reyes Monasterio.

: From Plaza de la Virgen de Gracia, overlooking San Juan de los Reyes Monasterio.

: From Plaza de la Virgen de Gracia, overlooking San Juan de los Reyes Monasterio at sunset. How many sunsets has that church seen in the past 500 years that it has been standing?

: Cathedral at twilight.

: Cathedral at twilight.

: Cathedral at twilight.

: Plaza Zocodover at night.

: Alcazar at night.

: Toledo Cathedral at night.

: Iglesia San Juan Bautista.

: Iglesia San Juan Bautista.

: View of the cathedral.

: Iglesia de San Roman

: View from the Iglesia de San Roman tower – free!

: View from the Iglesia de San Roman tower – free!

: View from the Iglesia de San Roman tower – free!

: Museum of Ancient Torture Devices. Essentially this was a museum about the Spanish Inquisition, during which “heretics” (mostly Jews but also Muslims) were tried, tortured, and killed. All the plaques described how and why this devices were used on various prisoners, in gory details. Ferdinand and Isabel, Spain’s most beloved monarchs, began the Inquisition that ended up killing tens of thousands of people. Considering Toledo was the capital of Spain at the time, I wonder how many people were killed in this city?