2022 Wednesday, Oct 26

Toledo Rest Day

We had quite a list yet to see in Toledo, so we got to it.

7.2 miles walking in the city.

2022   Spain

The burial of the Count of Orgaz by El Greco from 1586-1588 is a signature piece in the Church of San Tomè in Toledo.
Santa Maria la Blanca is now a national monument although it was first a synagogue and then was taken over by the Catholic Church after the Jews were thrown out of Spain in the Inquisition. There is some controversy as the Jews would like to reclaim control over the site, but the Catholic Church is resisting, citing the money they have spent on renovation and maintenance.
The site is a beautiful blend of Moorish design and Jewish elements.
The Monastery of San Juan de Los Reyes also shows a Moorish influence.
The doorway over the chapel.
There is a plaque honoring martyrs from the 1930’s civil war, many of whom were from Toledo.
Hospital de Taverna was begun in 1541 outside the walls of Toledo to house the sick and as a tribute to its founder, Cardinal Juan Tavera.
It is Classic Renaissance style, and Cardinal Taverna’s grave is in front of the altarpiece.
The Tears of St. Peter is El Greco’s version of Peter’s anguish after denying Christ.
Looking back at the city of Toledo from the Hospital. We’re preparing to head back up the hill.
Surprise! Toledo has escalators in two locations to take pedestrians up the hill. There are six covered escalators required to reach the hilltop and at least in one instance, 173 stairs if you choose not to take the escalator.
Our next stop was the Museum of Santa Cruz that houses art but also does a good job of explaining the history of Toledo.
This unusual picture by El Greco is Jesus bidding farewell to his mother.
Another view of Veronica with a cloth of Jesus. (Also in the Monastery of San Juan de Los Reyes.)
St. Peter by El Greco.
In 1527, Charles V entered the Bisagra Gate into Toledo, an important city in Castile. With his Court, about 50,000 people came to live within the city walls, bringing supply and hygiene problems. By 1539 after the death of his wife, the Emperor moved out of Toledo.
This is the document appointing the Inquisitor for Toledo.
This funeral stela from the Toledo area dates from 1075 with Arabic characters.
This mosaic from the 3rd century AC comes from land near Toledo very close to the Tagus River.
This granite funeral element dates from 3500 BC. It shows a carved straight line and zig zag lines on each side.
One more escalator ride.
The Convent of Santa Domingo El Antigua was our last stop of the day. It appears to still operate as a convent as we were shown around by a Sister.
The Sister was particularly pleased to show us the crypt of El Greco below the church, that we could only see reflected in a mirror.
Altarpieces from the church. This is the Assumption of the Virgin by El Greco.
These last two photos are from our hotel’s rooftop. Sadly, we didn’t see the sign offering that viewpoint until our last night.
One last view of the cathedral.

Comments:

Wanda Penner: When you stay in one place for a time, you have opportunity to be a tourist. The architecture is intriguing. The influence of the various cultures over time certainly shows a history, whether we like the history or not, it happened. What sounds do you hear in a city like this? People, vehicles, bells, what comes to your ears. 2022/10/28

Reply You ask an interesting question so we had to talk about what we hear. Drivers on cobblestones make a unique sound even if you don’t have a lot of cars. Buses and taxis make up the majority. There are many churches and the bells peal, usually every quarter hour. I love to lay in bed and hear church bells. Finally, it seems that some Spaniards nearly shout at each other when they get into excited conversations. We could be in a quiet outside dining location and quickly the noise level ramps up as other diners get excited.

Regarding historical decisions, one of the saddest times was when the Jews were targeted by the Inquisition. Many were forced out of Spain. Now, 500 years later, the Spanish government has offered citizenship to the descendants of those displaced Jews. 2022/10/28

 

Dan Hendry: You seemed to have gotten in a lot of great sight seeing in Toledo. Wish Wendy and I could have been there a night instead of just for the day. The lighting of the surrounding architecture was stunningly beautiful. Dan 2022/10/28

Reply I’m so glad we stayed 3 days, including our arrival day. We were tired on day 1 so we just enjoyed a walk around. Days 2 and 3 were filled with sightseeing. I know we could have seen more, but we knew we needed to move on. Wait till you see our next stop! (Post coming!) 2022/10/28