Toledo - Old Town part 1

Old Town Toledo - part 1

The Old Town is the city center of Toledo and is situated on a hill above Tajo River. It is were you find all the historical places, buildings and monument like the Cathedral, Alcazar, museums, synagogues and moorish palaces. The streets are very narrow and hilly, but sometimes the relaxed atmosphere get interrupt by a car driving so fast that the pedestrians have to hide in the buildings. The Old Town is crowded with people, especially Zocodover Square, the commercial heart of Toledo.

Plaza de Zocodover:

Plaza de Zocodover. The heart of the old town, situated just inside the gate. It is more modern looking then most other places in the old town.

Puerta de la Sangre, the gate to the Old Town from Zocodover.

The ATM at the Caja Rural bank was the one that ate up my bank card.

Alcazar. Toledo has blue buses, just like Madrid.

Alcázar of Toledo. One of 2 famous landmarks in Toledo. This fortress from the 16th century is located in the highest part of the town. Alcázar was used by the Romans
as a palace in the 3rd century, was restored by 2 kings and renovated in 1535. Today it houses the Museum of the Army (Museo de Ejército) and the Castilla-La Mancha
Regional Library.

Alcázar plays an important part in Spanish history; During the civil war, Coronel José Moscardó Ituarte held the building against overwhelming Spanish Republican forces
in the Siege of the Alcázar. It is today an important symbol of Spanish nationalism and the newspaper El Alcázar is named after it.

Views from Alcázar:

Restaurant Sancho IV.

Castillo de San Servando. A medieval castle text to Tagus River. It begun as a monastery in 1088 and was later converted into a fortress that would prevent a muslim attack.

View from Alcazar.

Academia de Infanteria. The Infantry Academy (ACINF) is a military training center for the Spanish Army.

One of many busy pedestrian streets in the old town.

Towards the cathedral.

Toledo is famous for its swords, that can be find in special stores all over the old town. You can buy them, but you can't bring them on the plane!

Around the Cathedral:

Calle Arco del Palacio, a narrow street towards the Cathedral.

The Gothic Cathedral.

Plaza del Ayuntamiento and The Gothic Cathedral:

Plaza del Ayuntamiento is the square in front of the Gothic Cathedrala, Palacio Arzobispal, Juzgado and Ayuntamiento, the Town Hall.

The Cathedral of St Mary of Toledo. This Roman Catholic church is the most important building in Toledo. It is the seat of the once mighty archdiaconese of Toledo
and was built between 1226 and 1493. It is considered to be the pinnacle of 3 High Gothic cathedrals in Spain. It is 45 m high and has an expensive monstrance inside.

It is said to be one of the greatest Gothic cathedrals of the world, but I didn't get inside. I didn't think it was worth to pay an entrance fee, since it wasn't
allowed to take photos, and I didn't have time.

The Gothic Cathedral is 120m long. Before the cathedral was built, a mosque was on the place.

Ayuntamiento, the renaissance Town Hall of Toledo. To the right is Palacio Arzobispal.

Juzgado.

Palacio Arzobispal, Archbishop's Palace. This renaissance building is here seen from Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Another sword shop.

Iglesia Santo Tomé is in the back. This church was built in the 14th century in Mudejar style and houses the famous painting "Burial of Count Orgaz" by El Greco.