Goodbye to Toledo after a few more sights

Walking through the Jewish quarter of Toledo

 

Monday,  November 4, 2019   Toledo

After visiting Toledo's Cathedral and Santo Tome to see El Greco's Burial of Count Orgaz, we walked to the Jewish Quarter and visited the Synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca, built in 1180. It is now owned and preserved by the Catholic church. It is considered a symbol of the cooperation that existed among the three cultures that populated the Iberian Peninsula during the middle ages, as it was constructed under the Christian Kingdom of Castile by Islamic architects for Jewish use.  While this is the popular folklore, there is amble examples of ways that there was little of this fabled cooperation across the three religions. 

The synagogue is a Mudejar style construction, with plain white walls and extensive use of brick and pillars, which brings its architectural style more in line with Islamic Almohad structure. It was turned into a church in the early 1400’s, but never underwent major renovations from its Jewish origins.

The interior of the church, once a synagogue, has a decidedly Islamic decoration 

Construction from wood, plaster and brick 

Unusual for synagogues in the 12th century, there is no women's gallery

The exterior of Santa Maria la Blanca shows the Mudejar architectural influence

We walked from the synagogue along the Calle de los Reyes Catolicos past the Monasterio San Juan de los Reyes. Built by Isabel and Ferdinand as an imposing edifice smack in the heart of the Jewish quarter, which was done to suggest the ultimate triumph of their religion over others.  The rulers had planned to be buried there, but ultimately came to rest in their prize conquest, the city of Granada.

Calle de los Reyes in the Jewish Quarter

The imposing Monasterio San Juan de los Reyes was built by Isabella and Ferdinand

Walking along the ramparts to the St. Martin's bridge

We left the city around 5:30 PM after crossing St Martin’s bridge and seeing the outside of the monastery.  We drove through darkening skies and rain into Madrid for our final days of our tour.  

St Martin's bridge over the Tagus River

Goodbye to Toledo

Portal of San Martin's bridge

Monastery on the hill and Tagus River below