"Ancient Mixing Pot" Toledo by DSwede

Toledo is a wonderful city. Rumor that I heard is that many construction projects have been granted permission to move ahead in the outter city area. Therefore I recommend visiting before the tower cranes and apartment buildings become too overpowering on the horizon.

Toledo is in wonderful condition, particularly when one looks at how old the city it. There are ruins of the Roman Circus outside the city walls, countless ruins in the area, and yet the city, its cobblestone streets and buildings are in excellent condition.

The city is located on a small hill, protected by a horseshoe shaped bend in a river on three sides. And like many old European cities (and notably Spanish cities) there are a plethora of old churches.

Sunset over the trees

However, Toledo is remarkable in the fact that not only are there Catholic churches, but there are also Mosques, Synagogues and churches everywhere. Often one was constructed as one, modified to become another and maybe retrofitted to become a third. There are churches built with Moorish influence, mosques with Christian references, and likewise Synagogues with influence from the above.

A wonderful mix of Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Jesuit... all one big happy family. But it was not always that way, for the Spanish Inquisition was alive and strong in Toledo.

I took many wonderful pictures and visited many sites here. But seeing as though there are already hundreds of identical entries of tips and photos, I'll leave my post as is...

Inside the Igl. d L Jesuitas

For more general comments on Spain, visit my Spain page.
(for more pictures, feel free to visit my Spain Gallery. If you enjoy the pictures, please leave a comment.)

• Pros:Excellent little vistas and hideaways can be found if you explore the back streets.
• Cons:Transport options here are limited to Valencia or Madrid.
• In a nutshell:A quintessential historical site in Spain, good for a casual 2~3 day stay.