Toledo was a one hour drive from Madrid. The bus dropped us off at the escalators at the bottom of town. The city sits on a high, rocky perch that is protected on three sides by the Tajo river. It is so well preserved that it is forbidden by the Spanish government to have any modern exteriors.
For centuries, Toledo was a Roman transportation hub in the center of Iberia. In 554 Ad, Rome fell and the city became a capital for the Visigoths. In 711, the Moors made Toledo a regional center. The city was reconquered by the Christians in 1085.
We started with a walking tour of the city. The city has a confusing medieval street plan.
Our first stop was the Sinagoga de Santa Maria la Blanca. It is one of Toledo's oldest monuments. It was built by the Muslims around 1200 and was originally a synagogue. It has Moorish horsehoe arches and wall carvings.
During the course of its history, it has been used for worship, military purposes, and even a warehouse. It was restored once and for all in 1851 and reacquired its former glory. Today it is a church.
The Toledo Cathedral is considered one of the finest examples of 13th century Gothic architecture. It was built between 1226-1495.
After visiting the Cathedral, we ended our walking tour at Plaza de Zocodover. We went to Santo Tome mazapan shop.
We bought a box of assorted mazapan. It was all very delicious!
This picture was taken after we had sampled a few!
We then took the elevator back down to the bus parking area and headed off to our next city...Cordoba.
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