The Cathedral of Toledo

It seems that it was founded in the VI Century by San Eugenio, the first bishop of Toledo. The Muslim invasion turned it into a mosque, called La Mayor.

When Toledo was reconquered by Alfonso VI, it became cathedral. Later, San Fernando ordered to demolish it and ordered to place the first stone of the current one in 1227.It has five naves supported by 88 huge pillars, and transept, finished off by the apse with a marvellous double ambulatory, that is a continuation of the side naves.

More than 750 artistic stained- glass windows, from the XV and XVI Centuries, give a great beauty and fantastic brightness to the interior. Outside, five monumental doors and three secondary ones give access to the great basilica.

However, the most amazing element that we should highlight because of its grandness and art is the altarpiece of the Major Chapel, by Rodrigo Alemán, Vigarni, Egas and Pedro Gumiel. It consists of five bodies with scenes of the New Testament with real size polychrome sculptures and is worked with flame- gilded wood. It was commissioned by the Cardinal Cisneros between 1497 and 1504.

The Chapel of St James, from the XV Century, is in a Flamboyant style and houses the sarcophagus of the High Constable Álvaro de Luna and his wife, Juana de Pimentel.

The higher choir consists of seventy two chairs by Alonso de Berruguete and Felipe Vigarni, from Burgundy, in 1540. The higher part is occupied by Christ´ genealogies according to the gospels; the lower part is occupied by the characters of the Old alliance with the characters of the New one and the Saints of the Church.

Its grille was carried out by Domingo de Céspedes. The space that gives access to the sacristy is the entrance to a real museum with works of artists as known as Jordan, Caxés and Ricci. In the sacristy we can see an interesting collection of pictures. In the central altar is located El Expolio by El Greco, among other paintings by Bellini, Bassano or Goya.

We should also pay special attention to the room “El Ochavo”, a sumptuous space from the end of the XVI Century, with octagonal floor, that is part of the cathedral “sacred” or “sacrarium”. It houses an interesting collection of pieces such as San Luis´ Reliquary and busts of San Juan Bautista or la Cruz and the cardinal Mendoza.