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Toledo, city of three religions in Spain

colour photograph, a panorama view of Toledo

How three buildings symbolise Toledo's religious heritage

by
Adrian Murphy (opens in new window) (Europeana Foundation)

Toledo is a historic city to the south of Madrid, the capital of Spain. In the medieval period, the city was home to three major religious communities: Christians, Muslims and Jews, each of whom have left impressions on the city's architecture.

Toledo's history stretches back centuries.

It was a significant Roman settlement, and, by the 6th century, was the capital of the Visigoths kingdom. It was an important city during Islamic rule in Spain, which began in the early 8th century. This was a period of religious tolerance, where Muslims, Christians, and Jews coexisted and contributed to the advancement of science, arts, and architecture.

black and white landscape photograph of Toledo

In 1085, the Christian King of León and Castile besieged and captured the city. Over the years, Toledo had large communities of Jews and Muslims until they were expelled from Spain, respectively, in 1492 and 1502.

This complex history has left an architectural legacy in the city today. This blog focuses on three buildings - the Cristo de la Luz Mosque, the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca and Toledo Cathedral - where history, culture and religious diversity converge.

Cristo de la Luz Mosque

The Cristo de la Luz Mosque was constructed in the 10th century during Islamic rule, one of ten mosques in the city at the time. During this time, the building was linked to one of the city gates.

colour photograph of a stone building behind a railing
black and white architectural illustration of the exterior of a mosque, including towers

It is a small square building, measuring around 8 metres by 8 metres. The mosque features distinct architectural elements and decorative details that are characteristic of Islamic design, including columns with horseshoe arches and intricate stucco work.

An inscription on the facade states that it was built by Musa Ibn Ali. Its eastern wall serves as the qibla wall, facing in the direction of Mecca for worship.

colour postcard image of the interior of a mosque with columns and arches
colour illustration showing the architectural detail of 6 columns
black and white illustration of a stone inscription with a large number of characters
colour illustration of architectural detail of four columns

After the Christian conquest of Toledo, the mosque was converted into a Christian church. An apse was added to the building, marking the transition from Islamic to Christian use.

Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca

This synagogue is located in Toledo's former Jewish quarter and dates from either the late 12th or early 13th century.

colour photograph of the exterior of a building, with bricks on one portion of the facade and large windows
colour engraving showing the interior of a synagogue building with people sitting and standing

It is a remarkable blend of Mudéjar and Gothic architectural styles, with distinctive white plasterwork. This has given the building the name Santa María la Blanca ('Saint Mary the White'). It has a series of arches supported on a network of octagonal columns.

black and white photograph, interior of a synagogue building with arches and columns
black and white photograph of a large altar
sepia photograph print of an architectural details of a column
black and white illustration of the interior of a synagogue building with arches and columns
black and white illustration of four architectural details of a synagogue building

In the 14th century, as a result of violence against Jews, the building was sacked and converted to Christian use. By the 15th century, it had been consecrated as a church. Over the centuries, it has been used as a military barracks, warehouse and a dancehall.

Even though it has not been used as a synagogue for centuries, it is one of the oldest synagogue buildings in Europe. Today, it is one of three preserved synagogue buildings in Toledo, and serves as a museum.

Toledo Cathedral

Toledo Cathedral is a Gothic cathedral dating from the 13th century. It was built on the site of a cathedral which had been built over a mosque, after the Christian conquest of Toledo in the 11th century.

colour photograph of a cathedral in a city environment
black and white illustration of a cathedral with a large tower

Construction of the awe-inspiring structure began in 1226. Its completion spanned several centuries. It was built with white limestone from the quarries near Toledo. The building has five naves, as well as a bell-tower and a 92 metre tall tower topped by a spire. Many elaborately decorated portals provide access to the interior from all sides of the building.

black and white illustration of the interior of a cathedral
colour photograph of an elaborately decorated altar
black and white photograph of a elaborately decorated door in a cathedral
black and white photograph, a sculpture on an altar of a group of people praying and looking upwards

Its interior features elaborately carved altars, stunning stained glass windows, and intricate chapels that house artistic treasures and religious relics. Several monarches are buried in the Cathedral in sepulchres, such as Henry III the Infirm of Castile and Léon and Sancho II the Pious of Portugal.

During the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, various modifications were made to the cathedral. There is also a rich museum that has a series of paintings by El Greco, Francisco de Goya, Sir Anthony Van Dyck, Luis de Morales, and others.

The buildings share influences from traditional Islamic, Christian and Jewish architecutre, illustrating the often shared religious spaces in Toledo.

After the medieval period, Toledo's prosperity waned when King Philip II of Spain moved his court and capital to Madrid. The city of Toledo was declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1940, and UNESCO later gave it World Heritage status in 1987.

Today, Toledo's religious heritage is a reflection of its complex history, where various religious communities coexisted.

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