Cervantes / Don Quixote

As we made our way back to the train station, Brian, with his keen sense of judgment for sniffing out graffiti, spotted Cervantes and figures from Don Quixote tagged on the walls around an empty playground. I have to admit, these were my favorites of all of the graffiti he has found so far! Thanks, guapito!

To see the rest of the graffiti from Toledo, see the following url:
http://picasaweb.google.com/bkmiller464/GraffitiToledoJuly2008#

Walking around

Before taking the train back to Madrid, we decide to walk around the city and take in the scenery...

Catedral de Toledo

No trip to Toledo would be complete without a visit to the city's cathedral, which effectively dominates the skyline symbolizing the city's historical prominence as the heart of Catholic Spain.

The site on which the cathedral has been the center of worship since the earliest days of the Visigothic occupation. During the three centuries of Muslim rule, however, the Visigoths' basilica was converted into a mosque, and in 1085 Alfonso VI vowed that the mosque would be preserved as a place for the city's Muslim population to worship. However, the promise was eventually broken, and the mosque was destroyed.

In its place the cathedral was constructed during the 13th century. It is primarily Gothic in its design, but it also has some mudéjar elements in its interior decoration in addition to influences from the Spanish Renaissance in the various chapels that line the church naves.

Cervantes

After Brian's encounter with the Cruzcampo guy, we stumbled upon the statue of Cervantes in Toledo. Because of the literature geek that I am, I was wicked excited!

Needless to say, we both had our turn posing with the famous sixteenth century novelist, poet, and playwright who wrote what many consider to be the first modern novel, Don Quijote.

Getting friendly with the Cruzcampo guy

After the Sinagoga del Tránsito & Museo Sefardi, we decided to go find lunch. As we were walking around in search of somewhere to get a good almuerzo, Brian stumbled upon this Cruzcampo guy…

As the Spanish would say, Qué poca vergüenza, i.e. no shame.

Another picture to add to the collection of statues that have been sexually violated by Brian.

Haha

Sinagoga del Tránsito & Museo Sefardi

After finding the Casa/Museo de El Greco closed due to construction, we ventured just around the corner to the Sinagoga del Tránsito & Museo Sefardi.

Near the museum is where the judería (Jewish Quarter) was once located before they were expulsed from Spain in 1492 by the King Ferdinand and Queen Isabela as part of the Reconquista of Spain in the name of Christianity.

The Sinagoga del Tránsito is one of two remaining synagogues located in Toledo. Its construction dates to 1335 when Pedro I gave special permission to have it built (at that time it was prohibited to build synagogues in Christian Spain).

From 1492 until 1877, the building served as a priory, hermitage and military barracks, but today it houses the Museo Sefardi, a museum which traces the history of Jewish culture in Spain.

Museo de El Greco

Because of the influence of El Greco in Toledo, there is also a museum (Museo de El Greco) with a number of the artist's works, including Vista y Plano de Toledo.

However, as we unfortunately learned (again, after the Casa de Lope de Vega), you should always call in advance to make sure that the museum is running on its normal hours of operation.

As you can see, after we navegated through the city's winding streets, we arrived at what would have been the Museo de El Greco to find that it had not been open in a year or so due to its being extensively renovated. Maybe some other day...

El Entierro del Conde de Orgaz

Next on our list of El Greco paintings to see was to go to the Iglesia de Santo Tomé, where El Entierro del Conde de Orgaz (The Burial of the Count of Orgaz) is located. This painting depicts the funeral of the Count of Orgaz who was buried in 1322; supposedly, Saints Augustine and Stephen descended from heaven to attend the event. El Greco's work adds certain anachronistic guests to his work such as Cervantes, his son, as well as himself.

Monasterio de Santo Domingo El Antiguo

One of the main reasons that we decided to spend the day in Toledo was to be able to see some of El Greco's paintings that are scattered throughout the city. First on our to-do list of the "El Greco Trail" was to go to the Monasterio de Santo Domingo El Antiguo, one of the oldest convents in Toledo.

Dating to the 11th century, the building houses a number of El Greco's earlier works. Although most are just copies of the originals, the monastery's hightlight is the opportunity to see the artist's crypt and wooden coffin through the slats of an iron grating.

Here are a couple of examples of El Greco's work inside the museum portion of Monasterio de Santo Domingo El Antiguo.

Escalator!

Seeing as how we were used to the flatlands of Sevilla, it was especially entertaining to use the pedestrian escalators to "climb" to the top of the big hill on which Toledo is nestled. You gotta love that kind of exercise!

Emperador Carlos V

Near the Puerta Nueva de Bisagra, there is a statue conmemorating Carlos V to complement his coat of arms on the old city walls.

Puerta Nueva de Bisagra

As we ventured into the city from the train station, we found ourselves at the Puerta Nueva de Bisagra (1550), part of the old city walls bearing the coat of arms of King Carlos I of Spain (also known as Carlos V of the Holy Roman Empire).

Toledo

The next morning, we took a short train ride to Toledo, a city known for its artistic legacy, inherited from its former Roman, Jewish, and Muslim inhabitants, which visible in the city's architecture in addition to its cultural values in general.

Puerta del Sol

Originally during the 15th century, Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun) served as the eastern gate of the city, from which the roads led to the suburbs outside of the city limits.

As in the past, Puerta del Sol is still one of the busiest places in Madrid as it is literally a crossroads, the center (km 0) of all of the roads in the nation's capital. Since people are always in a hurry to go somewhere, on foot, by metro, or bus, it is always one of the most famous places for pickpockets to hang out. Luckily, we were able to make it out with all of our possessions still intact!

Plaza Mayor

Up until 1790, Madrid's Plaza Mayor was once the scene of the famous autos-de-fe during the Spanish Inquisition in which people who were considered to be "heretics" were executed via burnings at the stake, death by garrote, hangings, etc.

Now, however, it serves the purpose of any typical Spanish plaza, a common meeting point for madrileños to congregate and pass the time, seated at one of the outdoor tables at the terrazas or sprawled out on the cobblestones to soak up the sun.

Here, just in time for the Eurocopa and the patriotic pride in the national soccer team, the wrought-iron balconies are decorated with Spanish flags. ¡Viva Torres!