Toledo Cathedral, Toledo Spain
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fulghams4
N 39° 51.427 W 004° 01.420
30S E 412437 N 4412400
Toledo Cathedral in Toledo, Spain, is ranked among the greatest Gothic structures in Europe.
Waymark Code: WM3K58
Location: Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
Date Posted: 04/14/2008
Views: 108
From the web site -
History
Toledo Cathedral stands on the site of the Great Mosque of Toledo, which itself had replaced a Visigothic church. Built from 1226 to 1493, the long process is reflected in Toledo Cathedral's variety of styles.
Many historic events have been hosted in the cathedral over the years, including the proclamation of Joanna the Mad and her husband, Philip the Handsome, as heirs to the throne of Spain.
What to See
The primarily 13th-century architecture of Toledo cathedral was inspired by the Gothic cathedrals of France such as Chartres, but the squat proportions give it a Spanish feel, as do the wealth and weight of the furnishings and the location of the elaborate choir in the center of the nave.
The exterior of the great cathedral, with its grand spire and massive buttresses, is best appreciated from outside the city or from a nearby high point like the Parador Nacional de Turismo. Up close, it is difficult to appreciate the scale of the cathedral, but its beauty is more than evident.
The north tower stands 295 feet (90m) high and was built from 1380-1440. Inside is the famous bell known as the Campana Gorda, cast in 1753 and weighing 17 tons. The south tower was left unfinished and is capped with a Baroque dome.
The facade of Toledo's cathedral dates primarily from the early 15th century, with three fine Gothic portals sculpted in 1418-50. The central portal, the Puerta del Perdón, has a tympanum relief by Juan Alemán depicting the Virgin handing a vestment to San Ildefonso, Toledo's patron saint. There are eight portals in all.
Inside is a central nave with two aisles on either side, divided by a series of 88 clustered pillars supporting the vaults. There are splendid 15th and 16th-century stained glass windows throughout, including two beautiful rose windows above the north and south doors. Next to the south door (Puerto de los Leones) is a remarkably huge fresco of St. Christopher.
At the heart of the cathedral is the magnificent Coro (choir), with two tiers of carved walnut-wood stalls and abundant sculptures. The stalls in the lower tier were carved by Rodrigo Alemán in 1495 and feature 54 historical reliefs of scenes from the conquest of Granada in remarkable detail. Each seat shows the defeat of a village.
The upper tier was completed in 1543 by Alonso Berruguete (south side) and Philippe Vigarni (north side). It depicts Old Testament figures and scenes. Berruguete is also responsible for the Transfiguration, carved from a single block of alabaster.
Every choir stall also features a medieval misericord, carved as usual with odd, charming and comical scenes of jokes and everyday life. Many are worn smooth by centuries of clerical bottoms.
The choir's free-standing altar features a 13th-century Romanesque stone figure of the Virgen Blanca, who wears a kind smile. The Plateresque grille (reja) that encloses the choir is said to be plated with gold, but it was covered in iron to disguise its value from Napoleon's troops and has since been impossible to renovate.
Opposite the grille is the Capilla Mayor, with a huge altarpiece of gilded and painted larchwood (1497-1504) stretching clear to the ceiling. A magnificent example of Gothic art, it is overflowing with intricate detail and summarizes the entire New Testament with life-sized figures, culminating in a Calvary scene at the top. In the center is a great pyramidal monstrance.
On either side of the altarpiece are the tombs of VIPs including Kings Alfonso VII and Sancho III and Cardinal Mendoza (left) and King Sancho II (right).
Directly behind the main altar is El Transparente, which stands out among the cathedral's many art treasures. A wall of marble and florid baroque alabaster sculpture, it was overlooked for years because the cathedral was too poorly lit. Sculptor Narcisco Tomé cut a skylight in the ceiling, much to the consternation of Toledans, and now light touches the high-rising angels, a Last Supper in alabaster, and a Virgin in ascension.
Look for red hats hanging from the ceiling in front of El Transparente - those belonged to the cardinals who are buried in the tombs directly beneath. Toledo's cardinals have the privilege of choosing anywhere in the cathedral to be buried, and their hats are hung above the tombs until they rot away (which takes quite some time). Similar hats can be seen in various places throughout the cathedral.
There are more than 20 chapels throughout the cathedral, many of which house fine tombs. The richly decorated Capilla de Santiago, in the northeast corner of the ambulatory, contains the magnificent Gothic marble monuments of Condestable Álvaro de Luna and his wife (1488).
Especially notable is the 16th-century Capilla Mozárabe, down at the west end in the southern corner. It contains works by Juan de Borgona. Mass is still held here using Mozarabic (Visigothic) liturgy at 9:30am. The Church tried to ban the old ritual in 1086, but the people of Toledo were outraged and eventually the two forms were allowed to coexist.
The 15th-century Capilla Santiago (Chapel of St. James) in the east end of the cathedral is another highlight. The Gothic chapel houses the tombs of Don Alvaro de Luna (flanked by Knights of St. James) and his wife Doña Juana de Pimentel (flanked by Franciscan friars).
The altarpiece was created in the 15th century by Sancho de Zamora, Juan de Segovia and Pedro Gumiel, in a Spanish-Flemish style. Entombed around the perimeter are Don Juan de Luna, son of Don Alvaro, Archbishop Don Pedro de Luna, the Archbishop Don Juan de Cerezuela (all 15th century) and Cardinal Boncel y Orbe, who died in 1857.
Immediately to your right as you enter the building is a beautifully carved plateresque doorway by Covarrubias, marking the entrance to the Treasury in the Capilla de San Juan.
The centerpiece of the Treasure Room is a 500-pound, 10-foot high, 15th-century gilded monstrance by Juan del Arfe, a silversmith of German descent. Made of solid silver, it was gilded 70 years later, allegedly with gold brought back from the New World by Columbus. It is still carried through the streets of Toledo during the feast of Corpus Christi. Also of note in here is a small Crucifixion by the Italian painter Cimabue.
In the display of art in the Sacristy, highlights include Goya's Arrest of Christ on the Mount of Olives and El Greco's Twelve Apostles and Spoliation of Christ (El Espolio). The latter, one of El Greco's earliest works in Toledo, offended the Inquisition, which accused the artist of putting Christ on a lower level than some of the onlookers. El Greco was thrown into prison, where his career might have ended had he not by this time formed friendships with some of Toledo's more moderate clergy.
The New Museums house more works of art, including El Greco's most important sculpture, a wooden group of San Ildefonso and the Virgin Mary.
The Chapter House (Sala Capitular) has a 16th-century artesonado ceiling and portraits of all Spanish archbishops to the present day. The walls are covered in murals of biblical scenes, including the Passion and the Last Judgment.
The cathedral shop, where you buy tickets to enter, is well organized and stocks a variety of quality souvenirs, including ceramics and damascene.
On the north side of the cathedral is the cloister, begun in 1389. There are frescoes by Francisco Bayeu and Mariano Maella (1776) on the south and east sides.
At the northeast corner of the cloisters is the Capilla de San Blas (not open to the public), with Florentine murals completed in 1399.
In a room off the upper cloister (claustro alto), entered from Calle Hombre de Palo, are the gigantones - huge figures some 20 feet high and clad in 18th century costume, which are carried in procession during fiestas.
Quick Facts
Names: Toledo Cathedral; Catedral de Toledo
Type of site: Cathedral
Faith: Roman Catholic
Dates: 1227-1493
Size: 100m-tall spire; 88 pillars
Architecture: Gothic
Address: Cardenal Cisneros 1, Toledo, Spain
Phone: 92-522-22-41
Hours: Mon-Sat 10:30am-6pm; Sun 2-6pm; main body of cathedral closed daily, noon-3pm
Cost: Cathedral, treasury, and chapter house: €6
Photography: Allowed in every part of the cathedral when I visited (April 2007) but some sources say otherwise.
Travel Resources
Address:
C/ Cardenal Cisneros, 1
45002 Toledo
Religious affiliation: Catholic
Date founded or constructed: 1226 AD
Web site: [Web Link]
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