 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Toledo's Medieval Past Emphasizes the Links of Religious Cultures
Article & photos by Lucy Komisar
Article & photos by Lucy Komisar
| Pg 1 of 3 | Next Page | |
| WAVE Journey.com Women's Adventures, Vacations & Experiences ~ Your Journey Starts Here! |
TM
A Woman's Directory For Travel and Life.
WAVE Journey is your one-stop online resource for women-oriented travel businesses & services
around the world.
WAVE Journey is for every woman to enjoy. If you love to travel, cook, read or revel in outdoor activities this website
is for you. If you are looking to connect with other like-minded women or if you are interested in finding businesses
or services that cater to women, WAVE Journey is your number one online travel resource.
WAVE Journey is your one-stop online resource for women-oriented travel businesses & services
around the world.
WAVE Journey is for every woman to enjoy. If you love to travel, cook, read or revel in outdoor activities this website
is for you. If you are looking to connect with other like-minded women or if you are interested in finding businesses
or services that cater to women, WAVE Journey is your number one online travel resource.
The historic center is a UNESCO world heritage site. It provides not a handful of buildings wedged between
modern structures, but major edifices in an ambience that is all medieval. To get an overview, we took the
Zocotren from thePlaza de Zocodover. The cars are open and narrow, and theride is bumpy, but the
connection to the city is intimate. We went around the perimeter and through some of the main streets and
around the periphery with views of the gullies and hills. Recorded voices, first in Spanish, then in English, told
us what we were seeing, albeit with a bit of a lag by the time the English came up!
After the train ride, we returned to the two best sights.
modern structures, but major edifices in an ambience that is all medieval. To get an overview, we took the
Zocotren from thePlaza de Zocodover. The cars are open and narrow, and theride is bumpy, but the
connection to the city is intimate. We went around the perimeter and through some of the main streets and
around the periphery with views of the gullies and hills. Recorded voices, first in Spanish, then in English, told
us what we were seeing, albeit with a bit of a lag by the time the English came up!
After the train ride, we returned to the two best sights.
Sinagoga de El Tránsito
I found the Sinagoga de El Tránsito almost overwhelming in its beauty and grandeur, and I was astonished
that so much of it had been preserved. To underline the connection between religion and politics, it was
founded in 1336 by Samuel ha-Levi, a diplomat and treasurer in the court of King Pedro I of Castile.
Later, after the Jews had been expelled from Spain in 1492,it became a church .The name "Tránsito" comes
from the years when it had a painting of "The Transit of the Virgin." And during the 19th century Napoleonic
Wars, it was a military headquarters. Its restoration as a Jewish site began in 1910, and the Sephardic
Museum that preserves and enhances the structure dates to 1964.
I found the Sinagoga de El Tránsito almost overwhelming in its beauty and grandeur, and I was astonished
that so much of it had been preserved. To underline the connection between religion and politics, it was
founded in 1336 by Samuel ha-Levi, a diplomat and treasurer in the court of King Pedro I of Castile.
Later, after the Jews had been expelled from Spain in 1492,it became a church .The name "Tránsito" comes
from the years when it had a painting of "The Transit of the Virgin." And during the 19th century Napoleonic
Wars, it was a military headquarters. Its restoration as a Jewish site began in 1910, and the Sephardic
Museum that preserves and enhances the structure dates to 1964.
Toledo is stunning vision of medieval Spain. It was indeed asthe
political capital until the 16th century the center of Spanish history
before Madrid. But it is also a religious city, which in the Middle Ages
was perhaps the same thing. Not surprising for a country that is
proud of its Catholic, Jewishand Muslim heritages, the highlights of
Toledo are the Jewish Sinagoga de El Tránsito and the Monastery
of San Juan de los Reyes. Nearby, the Santa María la Blanca
Synagogue reflects by its name (think about it) how houses of
worship moved from the adherents of one faith to those of another
– though not voluntarily on the part of the first!Some of the
structures show influences of Islamic art.
political capital until the 16th century the center of Spanish history
before Madrid. But it is also a religious city, which in the Middle Ages
was perhaps the same thing. Not surprising for a country that is
proud of its Catholic, Jewishand Muslim heritages, the highlights of
Toledo are the Jewish Sinagoga de El Tránsito and the Monastery
of San Juan de los Reyes. Nearby, the Santa María la Blanca
Synagogue reflects by its name (think about it) how houses of
worship moved from the adherents of one faith to those of another
– though not voluntarily on the part of the first!Some of the
structures show influences of Islamic art.
I loved the plaster lacework walls and curlicue
arches and the high brown beamed ceilings,
much of it influenced by the "Mudejar" style.
The Mudejars were Muslims who remained in
Spain after the "Reconquest" by the Catholic
monarchs. Mudejar art and architecture
reflected the Moorish styles. It appears that
politicians of the past and present time fought,
but artisans collaborated or at least borrowed
from each other. Walking around, I was moved
by the sense of history, of the people who had
worshipped here until they were expelled from
the country by the "Catholic monarchs,"
Ferdinand and Isabella, who threw out the
Jews and the Muslims. "Catholic" was not
simply descriptive but exclusive, ie, "My way or
the highway."
arches and the high brown beamed ceilings,
much of it influenced by the "Mudejar" style.
The Mudejars were Muslims who remained in
Spain after the "Reconquest" by the Catholic
monarchs. Mudejar art and architecture
reflected the Moorish styles. It appears that
politicians of the past and present time fought,
but artisans collaborated or at least borrowed
from each other. Walking around, I was moved
by the sense of history, of the people who had
worshipped here until they were expelled from
the country by the "Catholic monarchs,"
Ferdinand and Isabella, who threw out the
Jews and the Muslims. "Catholic" was not
simply descriptive but exclusive, ie, "My way or
the highway."
Sinagoga Santa María la Blanca
Walking a few blocks north, we stopped at the Sinagoga Santa María la Blanca which was the principal
synagogue in Toledo in the late 12th century. Isn't the name curious? A synagogue named after a saint? It's
an indication that the Jews' house of worship was made into a church after the Jews were expelled. Now the
Spanish recognize and remember both incarnations. Moreover, it was built by Islamic architects. Some of the
interior is quite beautiful, but it seemed rather like an art museum and didn't transport me back to the Middle
Ages.
Walking a few blocks north, we stopped at the Sinagoga Santa María la Blanca which was the principal
synagogue in Toledo in the late 12th century. Isn't the name curious? A synagogue named after a saint? It's
an indication that the Jews' house of worship was made into a church after the Jews were expelled. Now the
Spanish recognize and remember both incarnations. Moreover, it was built by Islamic architects. Some of the
interior is quite beautiful, but it seemed rather like an art museum and didn't transport me back to the Middle
Ages.