We booked an old hotel just a block from the cathedral so we could take our time to explore the narrow streets and visit the many churches, plazas and museums to be found in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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| Cathedral from our hotel roof |
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| Cathedral at night with Ukrainian colors |
Sitting on a rocky knoll and surrounded on three sides by the Tagus River, the town has always been prized as a natural fortress.
Ferdinand and Isabella captured Toledo from the Moors who captured it from the Visigoths who captured it from the Romans who captured it from the Celts who probably captured it from somebody else.
Moslems, Jews, Adrianist (Visigothic) and Nicean (Roman) Christians often thrived side by side – when they weren’t killing each other.
We visited buildings that had, over time, served many cultures and faiths. If you browse the Wikipedia page on Toledo, you can get a sense of the incredible history here.
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| Latin and Arabic writing |
We were deeply moved when we saw a memorial to the victims of Covid in Toledo. Sadly, it probably won't be the last we come across.
For a time, Toledo was home to Miguel Cervantes, the author of my favorite novel.
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| Me and Miguel |
It was also the final destination for one of my favorite painters; El Greco. Many of his most famous works can be found in Toledo.
We visited the Convento de Santo Domingo as it was closing on day and were the only folks in the church. As we gazed at El Greco's wonderful alterpiece, just steps from his tomb, the cloistered nuns began to chant psalms in an adjacent room - a memory of Toledo that I'll never forget.
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