The Iberian Jet Set (Part 10): Toledo - The Former Spanish Capital

- December 1, 2016, Thursday.

- There is a common saying that "you haven't really seen Spain if you haven't been to Toledo." Toledo was the capital of Spain from the Gothic era until the mid-1500s, when the capital was moved to Madrid. Although the importance of the City of Toledo has declined after shifting the capital to Madrid, it enjoys the status as the capital city of Toledo Province and the whole Spanish region of Castile-La Mancha. Toledo also boasts its cultural diversity, having a balanced blend of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim cultures.

- From Madrid's Puerta de Atocha Train Station, I rode yet another Renfe train (again, I had pre-booked my ticket) to the old Spanish capital. Due to its proximity to Madrid, Toledo is a popular day-trip from the current Spanish capital. The trip from Madrid to Toledo only takes around 30 minutes, and tourists are welcomed by the Moorish-style train station of Toledo.

Early morning in Toledo.

A lovely Moorish train station.

Details of the station's interior.

- Despite my excitement of wandering around another historically-rich Spanish city, one major concern I had with Toledo was its vague signs. Just like my experiences in Taiwan (click here, here, here, here, here,) the first thing, last thing, and everything in between that happened to me in Toledo was to get lost - literally. (I even had my map with me, but still it was easy to get lost in this small city.) Sometimes there are arrows that initially show the way clearly, but somewhere in the middle, there won't be anymore signs, leaving people lost. Sometimes, there are no arrows at all. Worse, sometimes the street signs go missing in place where you'd expect them to be (i.e. building corners.) What saved me most of the time was the very detailed map of Toledo I found and photographed at the bus stop; it was more detailed than the map that I had printed out before. Also, asking for directions doesn't hurt. I understand that some people don't always like asking for directions out in the open because it's a dead giveaway that they're tourists (which can be risky because of locals who may want to do bad things to do like deceive you or steal your things,) but Toledo is generally a safe place and is frequented by many tourists daily, so it isn't sketchy. The locals are used to having tourists around too.

The Toledo map at the bus stop that saved my butt most of the time.

- I went out the station and found the bus stop, and rode bus 5 to Plaza Zocodover, the ancient main plaza of Toledo. The buses 6.1 and 6.2 (but the people will refer to them as "61" and "62") also stop at Plaza Zocodover. Websites and guide books will say that the buses stop at Plaza Zocodover, but in reality the buses stop below the Mirador (viewpoint,) and there is a need to walk uphill to reach the Mirador, turn right, and walk a bit to reach Plaza Zocodover. Yes, Toledo is also a city on top of a mountain, and the streets go up and down like in Segovia (click here,) and Portugal's Alfama (click here) and Sintra (click here.)

Plaza Zocodover.

View from the Miradorio.

- Since I arrived very early, I explored some of the places that were open 24/7, like city gates and the viewpoints. The three main city gates that I visited were the Puerta del Sol (a 14-th century city gate,) the Puerta Vieja de Bisagra (also "Puerta de Alfonso VI," built in the 1500s and the main entrnace to the walled city) and the Puerta de Bisagra Nueva ("The New Bisagra Gate," built in the 1500s.) These two gates are located at the northern part of the city.

Puerta del Sol.

From the inside gate of the New Bisagra Gate.

The Old Bisagra Gate.

- Near the Puerta del Sol was the Mezquita Cristo de la Luz. This mosque was built in 999 during the Moorish period, before being turned into a church in the late 1100s. It is one of the rare moques in Toledo that was preserved more or less the way it had looked during the Moorish era. The name "Cristo de la Luz" (literally "Christ of Light") refers to the light that guided Alfonso VI to a statue of Christ, which now has its home inside this mosque-church.

Mezquita Cristo de la Luz.

Ceiling to the dome.

Arches.

Cristo de la Luz.

Arabic inscriptions from the Moorish era.

What remains of the frescoes.

View of Toledo from the gardens of the mezquita.

Small but packed with history.

- One handy piece of information for people visiting Toledo is the tourist bracelet (as of 2016, it's worth 9 euros) that gives access to 7 of Toledo's tourist spots: Mezquita Cristo de la Luz, Iglesia de los Jesuitas, Monasterio San Juan de los Reyes, Real Colegio Donellas Nobles, El Entierro del Senor Orgaz (Santo Tome Church,) Iglesia del Salvador, and the Sinagoga Santa Maria la Blanca. The bracelet can be bought in any of these seven places. I think this is a good deal, since I added all the entrance fees of these 7 places, and they're definitely worth more than 9 euros. If you're planning to visit them all (or at least 5 or 6 our of 7,) then this tourist bracelet is definitely a good deal. Since I first visited the Mezquita Cristo de la Luz, I bought my bracelet from there, and wore it around the day.

My tourist bracelet.

- My next destination was the Alcazar of Toledo. This alcazar used to be an old Roman palace, before being turned into this high-above castle. Many tourist websites or guide books may not have this, but the entrance to the Alcazar is through the Museo del Ejercito (Army Museum.) I did not know this since none of the sources that I encountered prior mentioned this, so I went around the big block of the Alcazar until a security guard told me to enter through the museum. Well, the museum's collection or old armors and weapons was impeccable, but the vast collection at the top floor of the Alcazar was even more impressive. Each gallery showed a different theme or era of Spanish history. My favorite gallery was the one that showed the artifacts they retrieved from the different colonies (including the Philippines.)

On the way to the Alcazar.

Back at Plaza Zocodover. Interesting tiled public seats.

In the Museo del Ejercito.

Visigoth.

Roman.

Miguel de Cervantes.

Turkish-style helmet (inspired from the shape of the turban.)

Don Quixote.

Ruins of the old Roman palace.

Old toys and moulds.

Retrieved from Japan.

Oh heyo!!

From Tibet.

Am I back home?

Anitos.

I never knew the ancient Mexicans had such elaborate armors!!

Demon horse. (Kidding.)

Squad goals.

16th-century soldier's gear.

Moorish-style columns and arches from the old Army Museum before looking like how it does today.

Carlos V.

Filipino soldiers' uniform (have you guys watched Heneral Luna? It's the same uniform.)

Philippine War.

I should have a shirt like this. I want to have one like this. (This is a Philippine coat by the way. Interesting; it has apparent Chinese influences.)

Flag of the Katipunan.

Royal tent of the Prince of Morocco.

Another royal Moroccan tent.

The Alcazar from the gardens.

- After visiting the alcazar, I visited the Toledo Cathedral. This gothic cathedral was built in the 13th century, though many agree that the cathedral was an old mosque during the Moorish era that was renovated to be a church. It is also not surprising that the Toledo Cathedral is considered as one of the best examples of Spanish gothic architecture. After all, Toledo was the former capital.

- Finding the entrance to the cathedral was confusing, and apart from me, I have encountered other tourists who were confused about the entrance. There is one entrance to the cathedral that lets you peek in the church, but isn't the actual entrance. The main entrance of the church doesn't open, but going around the church, one can find a small door with some postcard stands. That's the entrance to the church, but one would have to buy an entrance ticket from the cathedral's visitor center across the road. (The guard at the entrance had to keep pointing to the visitor center, since in most churches and cathedrals, the ticket booth is located just inside the entrance.)

The photo doesn't give the main altar justice.

"El Transparente" inside the church; it provides a dramatic illumination to the room.

Endless details.

One of the special galleries. Many of the paintings are by El Greco.

The church from the outside.

- I ate lunch at a nice restaurant near the church, and still feeling guilty from not having cochinillo from Segovia, I tried to eat cochinillo from that nice Spanish restaurant. Since their cochinillo was good for two, I ordered another pork dish, which tasted like a salty verion of the Philippines' lechon kawali. (Cochinillo still wins.) My appetizer, however, was a good change from the usual - artichokes with olive oil and manchego cheese.

- From restaurant near the Cathedral, I eventually found the way to Iglesia de los Jesuitas (Church of the Jesuits,) also known as Iglesia de San Idelfonso. It was hard to find because it involved going through a narrow alley (the kind where you think would lead to nowhere,) but it eventually led to the church, and a plaza/playground full of noisy grade school children who, I suppose, were on their fieldtrip.

- This 17th-century Baroque-style church, a rare style in Toledo as most are gothic, moorish, or romanesque. The church was also well-lit because of the strategically-placed windows. Also, while not a lot of people may like going up towers because it can be tiring, this church tower is not one to be missed - it gives a postcard-worthy view of the Alcazar and the Toledo Cathedral - the two main landmarks of Toledo.

Iglesia de los Jesuitas.

Well-lit.

Central stained-glass window.

No regrets going up the tower.

Alcazar (left) and the cathedral (right.)

Main dome of the church.

Church bells.

- Later on, after asking directions from a local passerby, I found the Real Colegio de Doncellas Nobles ("Royal School for Noble Young Ladies.") This 16th-century royal school was an all-girls school, and only accepted those from families who were not odds with the Spanish Inquisition. This school was in operation all the way to the 1980s, and later on it was converted to a female university dormitory; the last batch stayed until the 90s. Now, the school is under major renovations, though the church and the coisters are accessible now.

Real Colegio de Doncellas Nobles.

Inside the church.

Cloisters.

- My next destination was the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes (Monastery of St. John and the Kings.) Like the cathedral, there were people who got confused by the entrance, because the supposed main entrance of the monastery was closed, and the current entrance is located at the side of the monastery (some of them event went away becasue they thought the monastery was closed.) I, on the other hand, accidentally found the entrance after decided to go away. (Thank goodness.) This 15th-century gothic monastery with added moorish influences, is quite huge, since it has a whole church attached to the monastery; this reminded me of Lisbon's Mosterio de Jeronimos (click here to see.)

Pigeons attacking the statues outside the monastery (haha just kidding.)

The supposed front side of the monastery.

Cloisters.

Church.

Monochrome and patterns.

You can see some moorish details here.

Lions.

Ceiling details.

- From the spacious monastery, I walked along the street beside it, and found the Sinagoga Santa Maria la Blanca. Constructed during the Moorish era in the 1100s, this humble synagogue is probably the oldest surviving synagoge in the whole of Europe. It is also quite distinct because of its plain white color, geometric architure, and well-detailed pillars.

White and gold motif.

Fresco.

Detailed pillars.

The shell at the center.

- Near the synagogue is the Sinagoga del Transito (Synagogue of El Transito.) This giant synagogue built in the mid-14th century was later turned into a church in the mid-15th century, and centuries later, a military headquarters. Today, it is also called the "Sephardi Museum," which similar to the one in Cordoba (click here), is a museum dedicated to show the history and culture of the Jewish people in Spain. Speaking of Jewish, there are a lot of Jewish stores selling Jewish souvenirs and snacks near and around the synagogue, and comparing it with the Jewish Quarters in Cordoba or Segovia, the one in Segovia is the most "alive" one.

The biggest synagogue I've seen so far in Spain.

Jewish costumes.

Jewish jewelry. Would love to take one home.

Outside the synagogue/museum.

- Beside the Singagoga del Transito is the El Greco Museum. This museum is a recreation of El Greco's house, which doesn't exist anymore. El Greco, by the way, is a 16th-century painter born as Domenikos Theotokopoulos in Crete, Greece. Theotokopoulos moved around Europe before migrating and staying in Toledo until his death. He was nicknamed "El Greco," meaning "the Greek," for obvious reasons.

Weaving room.

Typical El-Greco style.

What Toledo looked like before (and someone holding the plan of the city.)

Mudejar/Moorish-style ceiling.

The museum from the outside.

- The last two items on my itinerary were the Iglesia de Santo Tome and the Iglesia del Salvador. The Iglesia de Santo Tome is a 12th century church. It is also known as "El Entierro del Senor Orgaz" today, because the painting made by El Greco with the same title (in English it's "The Burial of theCount of Orgaz," can be found inside. Photography is not allowed inside the church. Located less than 3 minutes away from the Santo Tome Church is the Iglesia del Salvador. It was an early 11th-century mosque turned church with both moorish and visigothic influences. The church has a tower but it is not worth it to climb the narrow stairs up, since the view was less than spectacular.

At the back of the Santo Tome Church.

Saw this outside the marzapan store.

Iglesia del Salvador.

Inside the El Salvador Chruch.

At the courtyard.

The archaeological site.

View from the tower - not much.

Went to see the outside gate of the New Bisagra Gate before catching the bus to the station.

- Just when I thought my adventure in Toledo had ended, an epilogue was apparently waiting. I went to the bus stop below the mirador and tried to catch the bus 5 to the train station, but the bus driver told me to walk a few meters ahead to the next bus stop. I am not sure why, and strange enough even the bus stops were quite vague. Anyway, I followed him and took the 6.2/62 bus to the train station. Little did I know that the bus route from the train station to Plaza Zocodover was not the same as if it were the other way around; even if the bus stops are named the same way, they don't always necessarily mean the exact same bus stop. In short, I missed my bus stop, but thanks to my instincts I felt that the bus was moving away from the train station. Apparently, the bus stop that I was supposed to alight from was across the street the one I rode the bus that morning, which was why I did not recognize the bus stop. The helpful driver (and fortunately he was helpful,) told me to get off the next stop, go across the street, wait for a minute or two, and catch another 6.2/62 bus back to the train station; apparently I missed 4 bus stops already. I also liked how he comforted me by saying that he was sure that I won't miss my train back to Madrid; he must have sensed my panic. (It was also during that time that I was thankful that I always set aside some extra time for unforeseen situations like this one.) He dropped me off at the next station, and in no time, another 6.2/62 bus came. I stood by the driver when I knew it was near the train station, so I can ask her if it was the right bus stop. She eventually dropped my off at the bus stop where I caught my first bus for the morning, and I ran to the train station. I had around 20 minutes to spare, and so I caught some air from that last-minute misadventure. At least it was all over and I was able to have a relaxing 30-minute ride back to Madrid. I celebrated that night in my hotel room with an unhealthy amount of Burger King takeout because I was in no condition to be fancy so I did not want to eat in a restaurant, especially a fancy one that served one course after the other. Anyway, I wanted to try what Spanish Burger King was like - as expected, nothing out of the ordinary but was the perfect meal to calm my weary soul. (Getting lost is not fun.)

- I was able to relax after eating my dinner, since there was nothing left for me to do but to enjoy the rest of Madrid on my last full day in the capital city. I could sleep a bit longer that night, and have a proper breakfast, and not just the oily delight of churros with coffee or hot chocolate that I had been having for the past three breakfasts. That, I think, was the best way to celebrate my adventures and misadventures for the past two weeks - a more relaxed finale of Madrid!! (Please read Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here, Part 4 here  Part 5 here, Part 6 here, Part 7 here Part 8 here, Part 9 here, and Part 11 here!!)