Toledo

Today I went to Toledo, a city 1 hour south of Madrid. The city’s history is built off of three different religions, Christian, Muslem, and Jewish. All three of which lived together but didn’t mix with each other. People could choose what religion they wanted to practice but if they were not Christian they would have to pay a small tax. The Jewish people also had to live in a certain part of the city called the Jewish quarters. They Jewish people were often raped and taken advantage of. The city is surrounded by a river that protects the city from invasion, el Tajo. Toledo is known for its blade works and was once known to have the greatest swords in the world.

Toledo has tunnels that go underneath the whole city. They were built in case of an invasion anyone could escape since it’s possible to access the subterranean galleries from almost every house. Nowadays they are still in every house but the connections between houses have been sealed off for privacy. They also keep wine free due to the chilled environment.

The city has a Gothic Church and two Synagogues, El Transito and Santa Maria la Blanca, there are only four in Spain. 

Greco, a famous painter, was born in Toledo and we went to a museum about him at his original house.

One Comment on “Toledo

  1. Coen, first I hope you’re enjoying your trip to Spain! Second, I have a couple of questions. I remember you telling Maddy and I that after a while the cathedral architecture in Spain gets boring and kind of tiring, do you still feel this way or do you feel more excited about it since you haven’t been back to Spain since the summer? Is there anything new or different you notice on your second trip that you didn’t notice the first time around, either architecture wise or culturally? Was there anything that you didn’t do or try during your first trip that you really want to do this time around?

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