Guide to the City of Toledo
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SPAIN WORLD HERITAGE CITY TABLE OF CONTENTS To ledo and its History 1 ITINERARIES IN THE CITY 4 Itinerary I 4 Itinerary II 8 Itinerary III 13 Itinerary IV 17 Other Places of Interest Dublin 20 ITINERARIES THROUGH THE PROVINCE 21 Itinerary I IRELAND 22 Itinerary II UNITED KINGDOM 23 Itinerary III 24 Itinerary IV London 25 Itinerary V 27 Itinerary VI 28 Other Places of Interest 29 Useful Information Paris 30 Cuisine 31 Handicrafts 32 Leisure Activites and Special Events FRANCE 32 Popular Festivals 33 Map of Toledo 34 Addresses and Telephone Numbers of Interest 36 SPAIN Lisbon Madrid PORTUGAL TOLEDO © TURESPAÑA Secretaría de Estado de Comercio, Turismo y PYME Ministerio de Economía y Hacienda Ceuta Text: Tomás Díaz Martínez Translation: J. West Photographs: TURESPAÑA Archives Melilla Layout: Objetivo Directo ,S.L. MOROCCO Printed by: EGRAF, S.A. Rabat D. L.: M. 33330-1999 Nipo: 104-99-032-5 Printed in Spain 2nd Edition VALLADOLID 91 km ARANDA DE DUERO 121 km ZARAGOZA 257 km Manzanares HighwayAutopista 403 el Real El Molar MotorwayAutovía A-6 320 NationalCarretera Highway nacional GUADALAJARA er PrimaryCtra. Red Regional básica 1Road orden 85 km CUENCA N-I Emb. de SecondaryCtra. Red básica Regional 2º ordenRoad Guadarrama 320 Entrepeñas LocalCarretera Road local P 607 N-II AA.V.E.VE (High Speed Train) ÁVILA N-VI RailroadFerrocarril San Lorenzo HP Emb. de de El Escorial Buendía P ParadorParador Alcalá HP LodgingHostería de Henares Pastrana Shrine/MonasterySantuario-Monasterio MADRID CastleCastillo Emb. de Bolarque MonumentMonumento Historic Ruins Arganda Ruinas históricas del Rey NationalParque NacionalPark San Martín Altomira CampgroundCamping de Valdeiglesias 1180 AirportAeropuerto N-III 403 e h N-V WoPatrimoniorld Heritage de la Site Humanidad rc e Méntrida lb A N-IV Mombeltrán Almorox La Torre de Valmojado P r Esteban Hambrán Chinchón ta JO ié A T El Real de Illescas Seseña T Escalona Tarancón ALBACETE 130 km Navamorcuende Esquivias San Vicente Camarena Villarrubia 502 Santa Cruz Hormigos Aranjuez de Santiago del Retamar 401 400 Río Navalcán Marrupe ío Maqueda Ocaña R Fuensalida Emb. de ÍO Rosarito Cazalegas Santa Olalla R Rielves Bargas Mocejón Villatobas Emb. de Torrijos 400 Las Ventas Navalcán Olías Yepes de San Julián Velada Talavera de P del Rey Huerta de Escalonilla Valdecarábanos P Corral de JO la Reina TOLEDO Oropesa TA La Puebla La Guardia Almaguer N-V Lagartera San Bartolomé de Montalbán Guadamur Almonacid 301 de las Abiertas de Toledo Emb. de Lillo Valdecañas Alcaudete Polán Layos RÍO Quintanar El Puente de la Jara San Martín San Martín Mascaraque Tembleque TRUJILLO 81 km Sonseca de la Orden Mora 86 km RODA LA del Arzobispo de Pusa de Montalbán Gálvez Belvís de La Puebla Navalmoralejo la Jara Orgaz de Almoradiel La Estrella Los Navalucillos Menasalbas Los Yébenes El Toboso La Nava de Navahermosa Ricomalillo Corral de Cantos Madridejos M O N T E 1419 Consuegra S D E T O L E D O Villuercas Retuerta Villafranca de Alcázar de 1601 502 Rincón del Bullaque los Caballeros 420 San Juan de Anchuras VILLARROBLEDO 33 km P Guadalupe Horcajo de los Montes Tomelloso Emb. de Cíjara N-IV Logrosán RÍO Emb. de 310 Gcía. de Sola N Puebla de Daimiel Herrera Don Rodrigo Manzanares del Duque Piedrabuena P 430 430 GU CIUDAD REAL ADI ANA P 0 19 38 57 Km Almagro Villanueva de los Infantes CARTOGRAFÍA: GCAR, S.L. Alcalá, 328 Tel. 3771941 - 28027 MADRID - AÑO 1997 Valdepeñas CÓRDOBA 135 km PUERTOLLANO 15 km JAÉN 120 km oledo is both capital of the province with the same name, as well as capital of the TAutonomous Community called Castilla-La Mancha. It is located 70 kilometers (43 miles) south of Madrid on the Autovía N-401. Although the city is small in size, it is a leading political, economic and social center, oriented primarily towards the production of its characteristic crafts and the promotion and care of its great historical, artistic, and cultural heritage. With the exception of the mountains along the southern fringe, the province, one of the largest in Spain, is a land of flat terrain devoted primarily to agriculture, livestock and light industry. It is traversed by the Tajo (Tagus) river, on the banks of which the two most important cities can be found, Talavera de la Reina and the capital itself. View of Toledo Erected on a small hill, Toledo has a typical continental climate, cold in winter and hot in summer, although slightly tempered by the presence of the Tajo river flowing around its historic center. The months of November and February generally bring the most rainfall, though not particularly heavy, and snow is unusual. In December 1987, the UNESCO declared Toledo a World Heritage City in recognition of its uniqueness, as it is almost impossible to walk its streets without coming across an ancient mosque, a Gothic or Mudéjar church, a Romanesque or Visigothic structure, a synagogue, or a Renaissance palace. Several days are needed to visit and enjoy all of the sights of Toledo, as well as a dash of adventurous spirit to fall under the spell of the city and discover its mysteries while touring it, either in search of a well-known monument, or just exploring its winding streets without a fixed course. 1 Historical Background The Moors occupied Toledo for 373 years, a Toledo is known as The relatively short period, but City of the Three Cultures, a their influence was name which refers to the enormous. In 1085, when Christian, Islamic, and Alfonso VI took the city Hebrew cultures that walls with no bloodshed, coexisted during centuries many of the Muslim within its walls, inhabitants decided to stay impregnating it with its own with the Christians and special identity. This almost Jews. The harmony brotherly union of traditions between the three cultures can best be seen in the bore fruit as notable as the architecture, where the School of Translators of customary artistic styles of Toledo, renowned for each one are interwoven, having recuperated part of exchanging influences and classical culture from forming hybrids with their various Arab documents. own personalities. The The Islamic legacy faded Mudéjar style, a mixture of with time, and the Catholic Islamic and Christian styles, Monarchs, Ferdinand and predominates in the city, Isabella, expelled the Jews combining principally in the 15th century. Romanesque structures and However, the cultural mix typical Islamic elements. in the city had been Although one of the most determined and can still be popular legends refers to felt today. With the Hercules as the founder of crowning of Charles V in the city, the fact is that 1519, Toledo became the Rome conquered a most important city in the stronghold of villages in world, known as the 190 B.C. and gave it the Imperial Capital. name of Toletum. A very In 1561, Philip II decided important town developed to move the court to while Christianity took hold Madrid, initiating a period around the first century, of political decline, but remaining until the present fortunately it had no effect day and maintaining, for The Baptism of Christ by El Greco, Hospital of Tavera on religious, artistic or better or worse, the Greco- cultural aspects. It was Latin cultural legacy. right at this time when In the year 569, after the fall of the Roman Empire at the Domenico Theotocopoulos, El Greco, the extraordinary hands of peoples from the North of Europe, Leovigildo, painter born in Crete, decided to settle in the city and paint King of the Visigoths, established his court in Toledo. In the majority of his universally acclaimed works of art. 589, it became the political and religious capital of Hispania, after the abandonment of Arianism and conversion to Catholicism by the Visigothic king Recaredo. Although dating from old, the Jewish presence was not pronounced until 712, the year in which the Moors conquered the city. 2 3 ITINERARIES IN THE CITY Practical details: Visitors who so desire may engage the services of professional tourist guides at the Information Office located at the Puerta de Bisagra gate. Admission to state-run museums is free to citizens of the European Union age 65 and older, retired persons, and children under 18. Admission is also free to everyone on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. Churches are generally closed except for worship services. During Holy Week, they are open all day. ITINERARY I Rising beyond the walls of interest are the courtyard, the city is the Hospital of the aforementioned tomb, Tavera (1), a grand and the pharmacy, restored Renaissance edifice to its original form. erected by the architects After visiting the museum, Bustamante, Covarrubias, we continue walking and Berruguete; the latter towards the ramparts, and being responsible for the after passing the Tourist magnificent doorway and Office on our right, we the tomb of Cardinal Tavera, come to the Puerta de founder of the hospital. Bisagra (2), the gate Presently a museum, it providing the main access recreates the ambience of to the city. Moorish in the period and also houses origin, it consists of two paintings by El Greco, round structures with a Ribera and Zurbarán, central courtyard. It was among others. Of particular remodeled during the reign T S VA E ER Puerta de C Doce Cantos Z Convento E de la Concepción D CALLE s UN e IÓN Franciscana Pl. de la L l Ó E a Concepción n D U o R i G s A C. Conce I i pción v C M iradero o r S P O Ig s M RONDA D Arco de e San E Casa de 7 c 6 . Lobo L la Sangre e L Pº del M r A la Cultura Fe é Sta.