Toledo
"Holy Toledo" isn't just an expression! This historic city in central Spain is positively packed with religious sites. A unique and richly diverse city, Toledo features Arab, Jewish, Christian, and even Roman and Visigothic elements. Toledo is located in the Castille region of central Spain, 42 miles southwest of Madrid and 85 miles southeast of Avila. It has a population of about 75,000 and is a very popular tourist destination, especially as a day trip from Madrid.
A beloved national landmark, the Toledo that so inspired El Greco in the 16th century has remained relatively unchanged since his time. Old churches and houses fill the city, where you can still stroll through streets barely wide enough for a man and his donkey, let alone an automobile. Explore the magnificent and varied religious sights of Toledo by following a link below.
Toledo Travel Resources
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See our Toledo Map for a closer view. |
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Religious Attractions in Toledo
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One of the oldest Moorish monuments in Spain, this tiny 10th-century mosque was built over a Visigothic chapel then converted into a church by King Alfonso.
This church was founded by Ferdinand and Isabella and it was where they originally planned to be buried. It includes an outstanding two-story cloister.
This fascinating 13th-century Mudejar church combines Moorish and Christian elements, including a horseshoe arches, early frescoes and a Renaissance dome.
This 16th-century convent church contains the earliest of El Greco's Toledo paintings, an altarpiece by the artist, and the crypt where he is buried (visible thorugh a peephole in the floor).
Topped with a Mudejar tower, Santo Tomé is a chapel built to house El Greco's most famous painting, The Burial of Count Orgaz.
Originally a synagogue and later a church, this 13th-century Mudejar building with white horseshoe arches looks more like a mosque.
Built in a Moorish style in 1366, this synagogue became a church after 1492 but is now being restored to its original form. Hebrew inscriptions adorn the walls of this major Jewish site.
This massive Gothic cathedral is brimming with art treasures, including several El Grecos, a 10-foot-high gilded monstrance, and carved altarpieces that stretch to the ceiling.
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