Toledo | Spain | Britannica.com Toledo Francisco, Cardinal Jiménez de Cisneros Toledo, city, capital of Toledo provincia (province), in the comunidad autónoma (autonomous community) of Castile–La Mancha , south-central Spain . It is situated on a rugged promontory washed on three sides by the Tagus River , 42 miles (67 km) south-southwest of Madrid. Alcázar (fortress), Toledo, Spain. Toledo, Spain, designated a World Heritage site in 1986. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Of ancient origin, Toledo is mentioned by the Roman historian Livy as urbs parva, sed loco munita (“a small city, but fortified by location”). Conquered by the Roman general Marcus Fulvius Nobilior in 193 bce, it became an important Roman colony and the capital of Carpentia. The city was the residence of the Visigothic court in the 6th century and site of the famous councils, the third of which (589) was particularly important because of King Recared’s conversion to Christianity.

During the Moorish period (712–1085), it was the home of an important Mozarab community (Arabic-speaking Christians). Taken by King Alfonso VI in 1085, it became the most important political and social centre of Castile. It was the scene of a fusion of Christian, Arab, and Jewish culture , an example of which was the School of Translators (Escuela de Traductores) established by Alfonso X (the Wise) in the 13th century. The city’s importance declined after Philip II made Madrid his capital (1560). Toledo is considered most representative of Spanish culture, and its historic centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986. Its rocky site is traversed by narrow, winding streets, with steep gradients and rough surfaces, centring on the Plaza del Zocodover. Two bridges cross the Tagus: in the northeast is the bridge of Alcántara, at the foot of the medieval castle of San Servando, parts of which date from Roman and Moorish times; in the northwest is the bridge of San Martín , dating from the late 13th century.

Parts of the walls of Toledo are of Visigothic origin, although most are Moorish or Christian. There are well-preserved gateways from various periods, including the Puerta Vieja de Bisagra (10th century), traditionally used by Alfonso VI in 1085. Similar Topics Sevilla Important buildings showing Islamic influence include the former mosques of Bib-al-Mardom (Cristo de la Luz; 10th century), with interesting cross vaulting, and of Las Toernerías; the Mudéjar synagogues of Santa María la Blanca (12th century) and El Tránsito (14th century; housing the Sephardic museum); and the Mudéjar churches of San Román, of Cristo de la Vega, of Santiago del Arrabal, and of Santo Tomé. The last has a fine tower and a chapel containing the painting Burial of the Conde de Orgaz by El Greco .

Burial of the Count de Orgaz, oil on canvas by El Greco, … Chuch of Santo Tome, Toledo, Spain/SuperStock The cathedral, generally considered the most Hispanic of Spanish Gothic cathedrals, was begun by King Ferdinand III and Archbishop Rodrigo Jimenez de Rada in 1226. Outstanding among innumerable works of art are the choir stalls, the large retablo mayor (raised altarpiece), the ornate chapel of Don Alvaro de Luna , the Mozarab Chapel, and the Chapter House. There is also a rich museum that has a processional custodia (for carrying the monstrance and host) by Enrique de Arfe (1524) and a series of paintings by El Greco, Francisco de Goya, Sir Anthony Van Dyck, Luis de Morales , and others. The elaborate Church of San Juan de los Reyes, constructed by Juan Guas , is in Isabelline style. Of the same period is the Casa de la Santa Hermandad , now partly a museum.

Dating from the early 16th century is the Hospital de Santa Cruz , designed by Enrique de Egas, restored and now used for the Provincial Museum of Archaeology and Fine Arts. Construction of the Alcázar (fortress), which dominates the city, began about 1531 to a design by Alonso de Covarrubias and with a fine patio by Francisco Villalpando; it houses the Army Museum. Its defense by the Nationalists in 1936 was one of the most heroic episodes of the Spanish Civil War . Other renowned buildings include the Ayuntamiento (early 18th century), the numerous Baroque churches, the Neoclassical Hospital del Nuncio and the Institute of Secondary Education, the museums of El Greco’s house and of the Taller del Moro, and the modern Military Academy of Infantry. The city also has numerous parks and promenades. Britannica Stories Toledo - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) Toledo, Spain, is situated at the heart of the Iberian Peninsula. No city is more representative of Spanish culture, religion, and tradition. The city is a museum of Spanish life, and the whole urban area has been designated a national monument.

Toledo was built on a rugged cliff surrounded on three sides by the Tagus River. The city was conquered by the Roman general Marcus Fulvius Nobilior in 193 BC. Its reputation today as a maker of fine steel was already established in the 1st century BC. When the Roman Empire disintegrated, the city was captured by the Visigoths and later by the Moors. Article History Toledo | Article about Toledo by The Free Dictionary Toledo | Article about Toledo by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Wikipedia . Toledo, city (1990 pop. 60,671), capital of Toledo province, central Spain, in Castile–La Mancha, on a granite hill surrounded on three sides by a gorge of the Tagus River. Historically and culturally it is one of the most important cities of Spain. Tourism is its most important industry, and armaments and engraved metalwork are manufactured. Landmarks and Institutions The city's general aspect has changed little since El Greco painted his famous View of Toledo. Its chief landmark, the alcázar (fortified palace), was originally a Moorish structure, restored in the 13th cent.

and transformed (1535, 1576) to serve as residence for Charles V Charles V, 1500–1558, Holy Roman emperor (1519–58) and, as Charles I, king of Spain (1516–56); son of Philip I and Joanna of Castile, grandson of Ferdinand II of Aragón, Isabella of Castile, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, and Mary of Burgundy. ..... Click the link for more information. and Philip II Philip II, 1527–98, king of Spain (1556–98), king of Naples and Sicily (1554–98), and, as Philip I, king of Portugal (1580–98). Philip's Reign ..... Click the link for more information. . It was largely destroyed (1936) in the Spanish civil war, when the Nationalists, with their women and children, shut themselves up inside and withstood a Loyalist siege for two months, until relieved by Franco's forces. After the war the fortress was again restored.

Toledo is surrounded by partly Moorish, partly Gothic walls and gates. Of Moorish origin also is the Alcántara bridge. The Gothic cathedral, begun in 1226, is one of the finest in Spain and houses El Greco's Espolio and other paintings by him in its lovely baroque chapels. Among the other many famous buildings are the Church of Santo Tomé, with El Greco's Burial of the Conde de Orgaz; the Church of Santa María la Blanca (12th–13th cent.; formerly a synagogue); the Convent of San Juan de los Reyes (15th cent.), with five Gothic cloisters; the Hospital of San Juan Bautista (15th–16th cent.), which has some paintings by El Greco; the former Tránsito synagogue, in Mudéjar style; and the Greco Museum. History Toledo is of pre-Roman origin; known in ancient times as Toletum, it fell to the Romans in 193 B.C. The city became an early archiepiscopal see; its archbishops are the primates of Spain. In the 6th cent.

Toledo prospered as a capital of the Visigothic kingdom, and it was the scene of several important church councils. Its greatest prosperity began under Moorish rule (712–1085), first as the seat of an emir and after 1031 as the capital of an independent kingdom. Under the Moors and later under the kings of Castile, who made it their chief residence, Toledo was a center of the Moorish, Spanish, and Jewish cultures and thus a great center for translation (its School of Translators was revived in 1995). Toledo sword blades were famous for their strength, elasticity, and craftsmanship; the art was introduced by Moorish artisans, and it is still carried on. Other important products were silk and wool textiles. In the 15th cent. Valladolid superseded Toledo as chief royal residence, but Emperor Charles V resided in Toledo during much of his reign (1516–56). Its decline began in the 16th cent., but at the same time Toledo gained importance as Spain's spiritual capital.

The seat of the Grand Inquisitors, it was also the center of the mysticism symbolized by El Greco Greco, El , c.1541–1614, Greek painter in Spain, b. Candia (Iráklion), Crete. His real name was Domenicos Theotocopoulos, of which several Italian and Spanish versions are current. ..... Click the link for more information. , whose name has become inseparable from that of Toledo. Toledo (təlē`dō), city (1990 pop. 332,943), seat of Lucas co., NW Ohio, on the Maumee River at its junction with Lake Erie; inc. 1837. With a natural harbor and its railroads and highways, Toledo is a port of entry and one of the chief shipping centers on the Great Lakes. Oil, coal, farm products, and motor vehicle parts are exported; iron ore is the principal import. Toledo is also an industrial and commercial center, with oil refineries, a glassmaking industry, shipyards, and plants that manufacture vehicles, powertrain assemblies, machinery, and chemicals. The health-care industry is also significant. Gen.

Anthony Wayne Wayne, Anthony, 1745–96, American Revolutionary general, b. Chester co., Pa. Impetuous and hot-headed, Wayne was sometimes known as "mad Anthony," but he was an able general. Early Career Not inclined toward academic studies, Wayne became a surveyor in 1763. ..... Click the link for more information. built Fort Industry there in 1794 after the battle of Fallen Timbers Fallen Timbers, battle fought in 1794 between tribes of the Northwest Territory and the U.S. army commanded by Anthony Wayne; it took place in NW Ohio at the rapids of the Maumee River just southwest of present-day Toledo. ..... Click the link for more information. . The city was settled (1817) as Port Lawrence on that site and in 1833 was consolidated with nearby Vistula as Toledo. In 1835–36 occurred the "Toledo War," an Ohio-Michigan boundary dispute, which was settled by Congress in favor of Ohio when Michigan became a state.

Toledo grew and prospered with the opening of the canals in the 1840s, the arrival of numerous railroad lines, the development of the Ohio coal fields, the tapping of gas and oil deposits in the late 19th cent., and the establishment of the Libbey glassworks in 1888. When Samuel M. Jones Jones, Samuel Milton, 1846–1904, American political reformer, known as "Golden Rule" Jones, b. Wales. He was brought to America as a child and worked in the oil fields of Pennsylvania and Ohio. ..... Click the link for more information. became mayor in 1897, an era of municipal reform was initiated. Jones died in 1904 and was succeeded by Brand Whitlock Whitlock, Brand, 1869–1934, American author and diplomat, b. Urbana, Ohio. After working as a reporter and practicing law, he became reform mayor of Toledo (1905–13). ..... Click the link for more information. . The Toledo plan of labor conciliation (1946) has been adopted by other cities.

The city is the seat of the Univ. of Toledo. Points of interest include the Toledo Museum of Art with its Glass Pavilion, a large zoo, and the Anthony Wayne suspension bridge (1931). The site of the battle of Fallen Timbers, a national historic landmark, is in a nearby state park. Toledo a port city in the northern USA, in Ohio. Situated at the western end of Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Maumee River. Population, 380,000 (1974; including suburbs, 790,000). Toledo is an important commercial transportation and industrial center, with a freight turnover of about 30 million tons. The city’s industries, which employ 84,000 people (1973), include metalworking, petroleum refining, metallurgy, shipbuilding, the production of glass, porcelain, and chemicals, the processing of food and rubber, and the manufacture of metalcutting machine tools, forging and pressing equipment, construction materials, motor vehicles, and equipment for the chemical and petroleum industries.

Coal from Kentucky and West Virginia, along with petroleum products and motor vehicles, is shipped from Toledo to the industrial regions of the Great Lakes and Canada. Toledo also has a university. Toledo a city in Spain in the region of New Castile, situated on a steep hill on the right bank of the Tajo River. Capital of Toledo Province. Population, 44,400 (1970). The city is an ancient crafts center for the production of metalwork, including such items associated with bullfighting as swords and banderillas, as well as ceramics and silk and woolen goods. The house of El Greco, now a museum, is located in Toledo. In ancient times, Toledo (Toletum) was a settlement of the Iberian Carpetanian tribe, which was conquered by the Romans in the second century B.C. Toledo became the capital of the Visi-gothic state in the mid-sixth century. The city was captured by the Moors in 711, and its inhabitants staged numerous uprisings against the invaders during the eighth and ninth centuries.

Toledo was conquered by Alfonso VI the Brave in 1085 and became the capital of Castile and León. In 1479, Toledo became the capital of a united Spain. Beginning in the period of Arab supremacy, the city was a major crafts center, especially for the production of cold-forged steel and for leather processing. The 14th and 15th centuries witnessed the development of the manufacture of silk and other fabrics, ceramics, and jewelry. Madrid became the capital of Spain in 1561, and in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, Toledo’s economic and political importance declined. The plan of the city, conditioned by Toledo’s location at the bend of the Tajo River, took form in the Middle Ages. There are remains of a Roman circus, an aqueduct, medieval fortifications, the fortified bridges of San Martin (13th century; rebuilt in the 14th century) and of Alcántara (13th century; rebuilt in the 15th century), the Moorish gates of Puerta Vieja de Bisagra (ninth century), and the Puerta del Sol gates (c.

1100; rebuilt in the Mudejar architectural style in the early 14th century). Architectural monuments in Toledo include the churches of Cristo de la Luz (formerly the mosque of Bib-al-Mardom, 960) and Santa María la Blanca (1180 to the 13th century), a Gothic cathedral whose basic structure dates from the 13th to 15th centuries, the Alcázar (rebuilt from the 16th to 18th centuries; the eastern facade dates from the 13th century, and the western facade, from the late 15th century), and the city hall (late 16th century). Toledo, which has been declared a national monument, has few modern buildings and has retained its medieval aspect. REFERENCE Toledo and Granada, Spain - Travel Photos by Galen R Frysinger, Sheboygan, Wisconsin Toledo (Spain), city, central Spain, capital of Castile-La Mancha region and of Toledo Province, on the Tajo (Tagus) River, near Madrid.

The city is built on a promontory, about 732 m (about 2400 ft) above sea level, bordered on three sides by a gorge in the Tajo, with the land side protected by an inner and outer wall. The most famous industry is the manufacture of swords, both by private companies and by a government factory. Other manufactures include beer, confectionery, church ornaments, textiles, bricks, and fans. Toledo has many towers, old gates, narrow, winding streets, massive houses, and predominantly Moorish architecture, which give it a medieval atmosphere. In the center of the city rises the principal edifice, a Gothic cathedral (1227-1493) with 40 chapels.

Other noteworthy architectural features are the Gothic Church of San Juan de los Reyes and its adjoining convent, a gift (1476) of Ferdinand V, king of Castile, and his wife Isabella I; El Trï¿½nsito, a synagogue (1366) that was converted to a church after the expulsion of the Jews in 1492; and the Church of Santo Tomï¿½, originally a mosque and rebuilt as a Gothic church in the 14th century. The churches of Toledo contain some of the greatest works of art in Spain, notably those by the painter El Greco. On the highest ground stands the Alcï¿½zar, a vast, square edifice with four towers, now a military academy, around which the houses of Toledo are grouped in a semicircle. The Plaza de Zocodover, built in the 7th century and later rebuilt by Moorish invaders, is a fashionable promenade and was long the site on which victims of the Inquisition were burned and bullfights took place. Of pre-Roman origin, the city fell to the Romans about 193BC and was named Toletum.

From about AD534 to 712, Toledo was the capital of the Visigothic kingdom in Spain and became a great ecclesiastical center. After its conquest (712) by the Arabs, the city became an important Moorish center and in the 11th century the capital of a short-lived Moorish kingdom (1035-85). In 1085, after a memorable siege, the city was captured by the forces of Castile and annexed to the Castilian realms, of which it was made the capital (1087-1560). From July to September 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, rebel forces in the Alcï¿½zar were besieged for 70 days by Loyalist, or Republican, forces. Population (1991) 63,561. advertising bull Granada Granada (city, Spain), city in southern Spain, capital of Granada Province, in Andalucï¿½a, at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, at the confluence of the Genil and Darro rivers.

Industries in the city, which is the trading center for the surrounding agricultural area, include sugar refining, brewing and distilling, and the manufacture of munitions, chemicals, leather products, and textiles. Tourism is important to the local economy. Alhambra The most important vestige of Granada's splendid Moorish civilization is the remaining section of the Alhambra, the fortress-palace of the Moorish rulers. garden of the Alhambra Other important buildings include the university, chartered in 1531 by Charles V, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, and the cathedral, built between 1523 and 1703. Adjoining the cathedral is the Royal Chapel, containing the tombs of Ferdinand V and Isabella I, joint sovereigns of Castile. elaborate work over arches Granada was founded in the 8th century by the Moors near the site of an ancient Roman settlement. Between 1036 and 1234, it was a part of Moorish Spain.

At the end of that period, when the Moors were deprived of most of their Spanish possessions, the city replaced Cï¿½rdoba as the capital of the remaining Moorish territory, called the kingdom of Granada. The city of Granada then entered its most flourishing era, becoming a rich trading center and attaining a reputation as a center for art, literature, and science. The city continued to prosper for about a century after the Spanish conquest of the kingdom of Granada in 1492. During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) the Nationalists captured the city, but the Loyalists held the rest of Granada Province until the end of the conflict. Population (1991) 254,034. Castile-La Mancha Community Tourism and Tourist Information: Information about Castile-La Mancha Area, ES Castile-La Mancha Information and Tourism Castile-La Mancha is huge when you compare it with other Spanish regions. It is also one of the most diverse parts of the country, with a landscape that ranges from flat, unremitting plain to one of dramatic hillsides.

Surprisingly, though, few people who travel through the region - either heading from northern Spain via Madrid to Andalucia in the south, or to Portugal in the west - get to appreciate the treasures that can be found within. One of those treasures is Cuenca, perched above a deep gorge in a quite extraordinary fashion. Many of the houses in this remarkable town seem to defy gravity, dangling precariously over the cliff's edge. One of them just happens to be a particularly fine museum of modern abstract art. The gem in the crown of Castille-La Mancha has to be the city of Toledo. It is Toledo's mass of historic buildings and monuments that lend it an atmosphere of being one big museum. Included among its many attractions are a medieval castle, a cathedral and a 15th-century monastery. The historic town of Siguenza is also something special. Despite its turbulent past, the town has managed to rebuild many of its best historic buildings, including its castle, which is perched on high. South of Toledo is the heartland of Castile-La Mancha.

There is no escaping the connection between Castile-La Mancha and the romantic adventures of one Don Quixote and his trusty sidekick Sancho Panza, which were set in the region. A series of routes have been designed which match various points in the novel and take in those famous windmills. The trail is well-signposted for avid Quixote fans, who can follow the exploits of this legendary gentleman-cum-knight. Castile-La Mancha Information and Fast Facts Country: Spain Castilla La Mancha Travel Guide | Spanish Fiestas Castilla La Mancha Travel Guide Tweet Castilla La Mancha, one of the most sparsely populated of Spain’s autonomous Communities, is divided into five separate provinces – Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca, Guadalajara and Toledo, which is the capital city. South of Madrid and north of Andalucía and Murcia, this is the land of Don Quijote’s windmills and acres and acres of olive groves and sunflowers.

Geographically the region can be divided into two separate regions – the extensive, flat plateau, the meseta, and the mountains encircling it, which include parts of the Iberian Mountain range and the Sierra Morena. The rivers Tagus and Guadiana both flow estwards through the region, whilst the Jucar river heads east. Another geographical aspect of note is the area around Cuenca created by erosion which includes such rocks formations as La Ciudad Encantada, amongst others. If you’re driving south from Madrid be sure to stop off to see the windmills at Consuegra Before the Romans arrived in the area, this was a land of pasture only, inhabited by Carpetani and Vetoni. The Romans introduced farming on a much more organised level, and the farms created were then taken over by the more significant of the Visigoth families and then, later still, to the Moors. Toledo became an important strategic position for the Romans and the Visigoths recognised its importance by making it their chief city. Until taken by the Christians in 1085 by Alfonso VI, it was the prominent city in the centre of Moorish Spain .

When Castile and Aragón were united under the Catholic monarchs in 1492, and Valladolid and Madrid received more royal patronage, the ´dry, waterless land’ that is La Mancha began to lose its elevated position. It ceased to exist completely in 1833, being absorbed into Madrid’s province, Castilla La Nueva. When the autonomous communities were drawn up in 1982, the new region was established. A Panoramic View Across the Rooftops of Toledo Economically this is one of the areas which suffered most from the drift of young people into Madrid looking for work and there is still little industry in the region outside the main cities and even there it is quite restricted. There is a large petrol refinery at Ciudad Real and a nuclear power station at Zorita de los Canes but the region as a whole lacks energy resources compared to most of the rest of Spain. The most important agricultural products remain wheat, grapes, olives, sunflowers and cotton, although this is also the centre of Spain for saffron growing. Outside Toledo, tourism has not really developed at the rate it has in many other areas of Spain.

Destination Map of Castilla La Mancha Getting to Castilla la Mancha You’re highly unlikely to head for Castilla la Mancha as your primary destination but will most likely access its main attractions on excursions from Madrid which is less than an hour’s drive from Toledo, the region’s capital. There had been plans for an international airport in Ciudad Real which would connect with the high-speed AVE rail network between Madrid and Andalucia. The airport was constructed and operated with very limited traffic for three years until its closure in April 2012 amid serious accusations of corruption directed against its investors. There are currently AVE train stations in Ciudad Real and Puertollano and an excellent road system throughout the region which contains the main roads from Madrid to Zaragoza, Valencia, Andalucía and Badajoz as well as the road to Toledo itself. Visit the Imperial City of Toledo If ever a city had the atmosphere of a living museum, it has to be Toledo . Situated on a hill and more or less surrounded by the river Tajo and the old walls, the old town is totally untouched by modern development, making it crammed with monuments of every age in Spanish history .

There are Moorish-Modejar-Jewish buildings – including an incredible Sinagoga del Tránsito which is as symbolically complex as the Mezquita in Córdoba . There is a fine Gothic cathedral and many Renaissance buildings of great merit. The city’s dominant building, though, is the Alcázar, a fortress since Roman times. This was also the site of a terrible siege during the Civil War – you can still see bullet holes and shell damage – but has been rebuilt since. Most harrowing of all for many visitors is the room in which the besieged Francoist leader, Moscardó, refused to surrender even though he was told his son was to be killed if he did not do so. The words telling the boy to ‘prepare to die’ say much about the futility of the war but also about the courage of so many of the people involved in it. The Alcázar in Toledo was the Scene of a Famous Siege During the Civil War Toledo was also the Spanish home town of El Greco and many of his paintings are here , including one of his acknowledged masterpieces, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz’ in the Church of Santo Tome.

British visitors to Toledo can often be seen gasping in disbelief at the array of swords and knives on open sale in many of the old shops in the centre – Toledo has long been famous for the quality of its swords; those used in the ‘Lord of the Rings’ films were mostly made here. Travelling on a bus sitting near a teenager carrying a four foot long sword is a most disconcerting experience for most Britons! Perhaps the best views of the city as a whole can be obtained by going over one of the bridges across the Tajo and driving or walking up the hills opposite, where there are many former estates of the Toledo aristocracy which have now been converted into hotels – the Parador is up here. The views of the city, especially at dawn and sunset, are totally breathtaking. Other Attractions in Castilla La Mancha Las Casas Colgadas … the Hanging Houses of Cuenca Cuenca: The 2nd most visited town in Castilla La Mancha has a well-preserved, picturesque centre, with an imposing Gothic cathedral, but is most famous for its incredible ‘hanging houses’, clinging precariously to cliffs 200m above the junction of two river canyons.

Cuenca, unlike much of the region, is close to lush, green forests and impressive mountain peaks but now also attracts many visitors who have read about the city in the final chapters of CJ Sansom’s best seller, ‘Winter in Madrid’ . Consuegra: Don Quijote aficionados can still find the ‘giants’ he went into battle against by visiting the windmills at Conseguera and also visit Dulcinea’s house at Toboso. Cervantes’ own home is well-preserved in the village of Esquivias. Guadalajara: A historic city with fine Moorish walls and a surviving bridge across the river Henares, a Mudejar style church and a fifteenth century palace. When to Visit Castilla La Mancha Climate: The region experiences a predominantly Mediterranean climate, but also has some Continental aspects. The further south you go in the Meseta, then the longer the summers and the warmer the winters become. The mountain areas often experience a high rainfall – with snow at the highest altitudes – whereas in the central areas there is generally only between 300mm and 400mm annually.

Festivals: Two annual festivals in the region of major national and international interest are the Corpus Christi celebrations in Toledo and Holy Week in Cuenca. Other festivals of interest include the Moors and Christians at Valverde del Júcar and Caudete; the Festival of Medieval theatre in Hita; the Saffron Rose Festival every October in Consuegra; the January Cow Festival of San Pablo de los Montes; the Festival of the Olive held in Mora each April; and the colourful devil-themed festival La Endiablada each February in Almonacid de Marquesado. Food and Drink of Castilla La Mancha Manchego cheese, generally considered to be the finest in Spain, is produced here from ewe’s milk. Popular regional dishes include Asadillo manchego, which is a salad of tomatoes, roasted peppers, garlic and olive oil and Pisto manchego con huevos, a mix of peppers, tomatoes, onions, courgettes, ham and a fried egg. Lamb is very popular, along with partridge but be aware that if you see Gazpacho Manchego on a menu it will not be a cold tomato soup.

Instead expect to get a stew of chicken, rabbit and perhaps hare or pigeon served on a piece of flat bread. Toledo is famous for its marzipan – there’s even a shop that has a model of the town sculpted in marzipan in the window. Wine has always been a thriving industry here with the best-known Denominaciones de Origen being La Mancha and Valdepeñas. Whilst many a bottle of cheap and cheerful Valdepeñas has been enjoyed over a ‘menú del día’, recent times has seen a modernisation of the local industry and an attempt to highlight the region’s best crianzas and reservas. Where Have you Been in Castilla La Mancha? Few other regions have such a key main attraction as Castilla La Mancha does with the wonderful city of Toledo. Have you been there or to any other places in the area? Please let us know your experiences and any travel advice you may have in the comments box below. Toledo (disambiguation) | Article about Toledo (disambiguation) by The Free Dictionary Toledo (disambiguation) | Article about Toledo (disambiguation) by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Wikipedia .

Toledo, city (1990 pop. 60,671), capital of Toledo province, central Spain, in Castile–La Mancha, on a granite hill surrounded on three sides by a gorge of the Tagus River. Historically and culturally it is one of the most important cities of Spain. Tourism is its most important industry, and armaments and engraved metalwork are manufactured. Landmarks and Institutions The city's general aspect has changed little since El Greco painted his famous View of Toledo. Its chief landmark, the alcázar (fortified palace), was originally a Moorish structure, restored in the 13th cent. and transformed (1535, 1576) to serve as residence for Charles V Charles V, 1500–1558, Holy Roman emperor (1519–58) and, as Charles I, king of Spain (1516–56); son of Philip I and Joanna of Castile, grandson of Ferdinand II of Aragón, Isabella of Castile, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, and Mary of Burgundy. ..... Click the link for more information.

and Philip II Philip II, 1527–98, king of Spain (1556–98), king of Naples and Sicily (1554–98), and, as Philip I, king of Portugal (1580–98). Philip's Reign ..... Click the link for more information. . It was largely destroyed (1936) in the Spanish civil war, when the Nationalists, with their women and children, shut themselves up inside and withstood a Loyalist siege for two months, until relieved by Franco's forces. After the war the fortress was again restored. Toledo is surrounded by partly Moorish, partly Gothic walls and gates. Of Moorish origin also is the Alcántara bridge. The Gothic cathedral, begun in 1226, is one of the finest in Spain and houses El Greco's Espolio and other paintings by him in its lovely baroque chapels.

Among the other many famous buildings are the Church of Santo Tomé, with El Greco's Burial of the Conde de Orgaz; the Church of Santa María la Blanca (12th–13th cent.; formerly a synagogue); the Convent of San Juan de los Reyes (15th cent.), with five Gothic cloisters; the Hospital of San Juan Bautista (15th–16th cent.), which has some paintings by El Greco; the former Tránsito synagogue, in Mudéjar style; and the Greco Museum. History Toledo is of pre-Roman origin; known in ancient times as Toletum, it fell to the Romans in 193 B.C. The city became an early archiepiscopal see; its archbishops are the primates of Spain. In the 6th cent. Toledo prospered as a capital of the Visigothic kingdom, and it was the scene of several important church councils. Its greatest prosperity began under Moorish rule (712–1085), first as the seat of an emir and after 1031 as the capital of an independent kingdom.

Under the Moors and later under the kings of Castile, who made it their chief residence, Toledo was a center of the Moorish, Spanish, and Jewish cultures and thus a great center for translation (its School of Translators was revived in 1995). Toledo sword blades were famous for their strength, elasticity, and craftsmanship; the art was introduced by Moorish artisans, and it is still carried on. Other important products were silk and wool textiles. In the 15th cent. Valladolid superseded Toledo as chief royal residence, but Emperor Charles V resided in Toledo during much of his reign (1516–56). Its decline began in the 16th cent., but at the same time Toledo gained importance as Spain's spiritual capital. The seat of the Grand Inquisitors, it was also the center of the mysticism symbolized by El Greco Greco, El , c.1541–1614, Greek painter in Spain, b. Candia (Iráklion), Crete. His real name was Domenicos Theotocopoulos, of which several Italian and Spanish versions are current. ..... Click the link for more information.

, whose name has become inseparable from that of Toledo. Toledo (təlē`dō), city (1990 pop. 332,943), seat of Lucas co., NW Ohio, on the Maumee River at its junction with Lake Erie; inc. 1837. With a natural harbor and its railroads and highways, Toledo is a port of entry and one of the chief shipping centers on the Great Lakes. Oil, coal, farm products, and motor vehicle parts are exported; iron ore is the principal import. Toledo is also an industrial and commercial center, with oil refineries, a glassmaking industry, shipyards, and plants that manufacture vehicles, powertrain assemblies, machinery, and chemicals. The health-care industry is also significant. Gen. Anthony Wayne Wayne, Anthony, 1745–96, American Revolutionary general, b. Chester co., Pa. Impetuous and hot-headed, Wayne was sometimes known as "mad Anthony," but he was an able general. Early Career Not inclined toward academic studies, Wayne became a surveyor in 1763. ..... Click the link for more information.

built Fort Industry there in 1794 after the battle of Fallen Timbers Fallen Timbers, battle fought in 1794 between tribes of the Northwest Territory and the U.S. army commanded by Anthony Wayne; it took place in NW Ohio at the rapids of the Maumee River just southwest of present-day Toledo. ..... Click the link for more information. . The city was settled (1817) as Port Lawrence on that site and in 1833 was consolidated with nearby Vistula as Toledo. In 1835–36 occurred the "Toledo War," an Ohio-Michigan boundary dispute, which was settled by Congress in favor of Ohio when Michigan became a state. Toledo grew and prospered with the opening of the canals in the 1840s, the arrival of numerous railroad lines, the development of the Ohio coal fields, the tapping of gas and oil deposits in the late 19th cent., and the establishment of the Libbey glassworks in 1888. When Samuel M.

Jones Jones, Samuel Milton, 1846–1904, American political reformer, known as "Golden Rule" Jones, b. Wales. He was brought to America as a child and worked in the oil fields of Pennsylvania and Ohio. ..... Click the link for more information. became mayor in 1897, an era of municipal reform was initiated. Jones died in 1904 and was succeeded by Brand Whitlock Whitlock, Brand, 1869–1934, American author and diplomat, b. Urbana, Ohio. After working as a reporter and practicing law, he became reform mayor of Toledo (1905–13). ..... Click the link for more information. . The Toledo plan of labor conciliation (1946) has been adopted by other cities. The city is the seat of the Univ. of Toledo. Points of interest include the Toledo Museum of Art with its Glass Pavilion, a large zoo, and the Anthony Wayne suspension bridge (1931). The site of the battle of Fallen Timbers, a national historic landmark, is in a nearby state park. Toledo a port city in the northern USA, in Ohio.

Situated at the western end of Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Maumee River. Population, 380,000 (1974; including suburbs, 790,000). Toledo is an important commercial transportation and industrial center, with a freight turnover of about 30 million tons. The city’s industries, which employ 84,000 people (1973), include metalworking, petroleum refining, metallurgy, shipbuilding, the production of glass, porcelain, and chemicals, the processing of food and rubber, and the manufacture of metalcutting machine tools, forging and pressing equipment, construction materials, motor vehicles, and equipment for the chemical and petroleum industries. Coal from Kentucky and West Virginia, along with petroleum products and motor vehicles, is shipped from Toledo to the industrial regions of the Great Lakes and Canada. Toledo also has a university. Toledo a city in Spain in the region of New Castile, situated on a steep hill on the right bank of the Tajo River. Capital of Toledo Province. Population, 44,400 (1970).

The city is an ancient crafts center for the production of metalwork, including such items associated with bullfighting as swords and banderillas, as well as ceramics and silk and woolen goods. The house of El Greco, now a museum, is located in Toledo. In ancient times, Toledo (Toletum) was a settlement of the Iberian Carpetanian tribe, which was conquered by the Romans in the second century B.C. Toledo became the capital of the Visi-gothic state in the mid-sixth century. The city was captured by the Moors in 711, and its inhabitants staged numerous uprisings against the invaders during the eighth and ninth centuries. Toledo was conquered by Alfonso VI the Brave in 1085 and became the capital of Castile and León. In 1479, Toledo became the capital of a united Spain. Beginning in the period of Arab supremacy, the city was a major crafts center, especially for the production of cold-forged steel and for leather processing. The 14th and 15th centuries witnessed the development of the manufacture of silk and other fabrics, ceramics, and jewelry.

Madrid became the capital of Spain in 1561, and in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, Toledo’s economic and political importance declined. The plan of the city, conditioned by Toledo’s location at the bend of the Tajo River, took form in the Middle Ages. There are remains of a Roman circus, an aqueduct, medieval fortifications, the fortified bridges of San Martin (13th century; rebuilt in the 14th century) and of Alcántara (13th century; rebuilt in the 15th century), the Moorish gates of Puerta Vieja de Bisagra (ninth century), and the Puerta del Sol gates (c. 1100; rebuilt in the Mudejar architectural style in the early 14th century).

Architectural monuments in Toledo include the churches of Cristo de la Luz (formerly the mosque of Bib-al-Mardom, 960) and Santa María la Blanca (1180 to the 13th century), a Gothic cathedral whose basic structure dates from the 13th to 15th centuries, the Alcázar (rebuilt from the 16th to 18th centuries; the eastern facade dates from the 13th century, and the western facade, from the late 15th century), and the city hall (late 16th century). Toledo, which has been declared a national monument, has few modern buildings and has retained its medieval aspect. REFERENCE Castile-La Mancha | region, Spain | Britannica.com region, Spain list of cities and towns in Spain Castile–La Mancha, Spanish Castilla–La Mancha, comunidad autónoma (autonomous community) and historic region of Spain , encompassing the provincias (provinces) of Toledo , Ciudad Real , Cuenca , Guadalajara , and Albacete .

Castile–La Mancha is bounded by the autonomous communities of Madrid to the north, Aragon to the northeast, Valencia to the east, Murcia to the southeast, Andalusia to the south, Extremadura to the west, and Castile-León to the northwest. The autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha was established by the statute of autonomy of August 10, 1982, from the historic region of New Castile . The capital is Toledo . Area 30,660 square miles (79,409 square km). Pop. (2007 est.) 1,977,304. Windmills, Consuegra, Toledo, Castile–La Mancha, Spain. Emma Lee—Life File/Getty Images The watershed of the low-lying Toledo Mountains bisects the region, with tablelands of La Alcarria to the north being drained by the Tagus and the plains of La Mancha to the south being drained by the Guadiana River .

La Alcarria merges with the Sistema Central to the north and the Iberian Cordillera to the east; the plains of La Mancha extend southeastward into the province of Albacete, terminating in the Baetic Cordillera . The Sierra Morena rises in the south. A Mediterranean climate , modified by continental influences, prevails; temperatures increase east to west and north to south. Annual precipitation is relatively low, exceeding 20 inches (500 mm) only in the province of Cuenca, and is concentrated in the autumn and spring. Emigration to Madrid, the national capital, just to the north, has depleted the population of Castile–La Mancha. This effect has been much more severe in the mountainous zones of the provinces of Cuenca and Guadalajara than in the provincial capitals, where the population has doubled since 1900. Emigration has been especially high among young men, which has resulted in a sharp increase in the median age and a drop in the birth rate . Although emigration to the countries of the European Union has generally been low, large numbers of migrants work in France.

The population tends to be dispersed in the Iberian Cordillera and concentrated in the plains of La Mancha, where large agricultural towns predominate. The population density increases in lower La Mancha, where the water table is close to the surface and supports diversified agriculture. Farmland in La Mancha tends to be partitioned into latifundios, or large estates, while minifundios, or small landholdings, predominate north of the Tagus. Similar Topics Andalusia Agriculture dominates the economy. Most of the land under cultivation is dry-farmed, producing barley , grapes, and olives. The region also produces lentils, onions, peppers, sunflowers, saffron, and sumac. Mechanization of agriculture has been impeded by the fragmentation of holdings in the mountains and lags behind the national average. Animal husbandry accounts for approximately one-third of the region’s agricultural output; the preferred animals are sheep, pigs, and goats. Forests cover one-third of the land but have yet to be fully exploited. Windmills in Castile–La Mancha, Spain.

© PHB.cz/Fotolia The industrial sector is underdeveloped outside the province of Ciudad Real, where a large petroleum refinery has established Puertollano as a major petrochemical centre. The mines of Almadén produce mercury. Mining is of relatively little importance outside Ciudad Real, though there are important deposits of iron in Guadalajara province, and kaolin is mined in Cuenca. Manufacturing is small-scale and centres on the processing of primary materials. The region produces about one-half of Spain’s wine and mills a large portion of the country’s flour. Some of Madrid province’s industrial centres have spread eastward and southward into Guadalajara and Toledo provinces. The provincial capitals are the leading commercial centres of the region. The provinces of Toledo and Guadalajara also have strong commercial ties to Madrid, while Talavera de la Reina in Toledo province is the commercial centre of dozens of communities. Energy resources are poor, the general dryness of the region precluding the development of hydroelectricity. There are nuclear reactors in Zorita de los Canes and Trillo. Britannica Stories Ringling Bros.

Folds Its Tent The National Museum of Abstract Art was established in the city of Cuenca in 1966. The polychromatic ceramics produced in the province of Toledo have been widely marketed since the 14th century; colours are clearly delineated , and designs show Mudéjar, Gothic, and Renaissance influences. The ceramics of Talavera de la Reina were especially popular during the Renaissance but were in decline by the second quarter of the 18th century. The town of Atienza in the province of Guadalajara features a Caballada every Pentecost, in which townsmen ride to the hermitage of Nuestra Señora de la Estrella outside Atienza and reenact the rescue of Alfonso VII by townsmen in 1163. Tourism in Toledo in Toledo, Spain | spain.info in english Read more Toledo is also a city linked to deep popular traditions, as the procession of the Most Holy Corpus Christi, a festival declared of International Tourist Interest, demonstrates every year.

The city of Toledo has its origins in Toletum, the name the Romans gave to this settlement on the banks of the River Tagus after its conquest in 190 BC. The city maintained its importance for centuries and, in the Visigothic era, became the capital of Hispania (6th C.). The arrival of the Arabs in the 8th century, together with the presence of Christians and Jews, made Toledo the “city of the three cultures”. This was one of the Toledo's most splendid periods when, among other important events, the Toledo School of Translators was founded. Later, when Carlos V came to the throne in 1519, the city became an imperial capital. The way that Christians, Arabs and Jews lived side by side for centuries has been reflected in the form of a great artistic and cultural legacy. The maze of streets making up the historic centre of Toledo is only bounded by walls in which many gates were opened. The Bisagra gate, presided over by two bodies and a great imperial shield forms the main access to the city within the walls. This noble gate, of Muslim origin, includes a central courtyard and was altered during the reign of Carlos I (Emperor Carlos V)I.

The Alfonso VI gate or Vieja de Bisagra gate, built in 838, is one of the most faithful reflections of Muslim art in the city. The Sol gate was built in the 13th century in Mudejar style and contains the remains of a paleochristian sarcophagus. Via these and other entrances you can reach picturesque places, like the Plaza de Zocodover. In the Arab period, this central space housed an important market, and festivals and all kinds of social events were held here. Nowadays the square, surrounded by buildings with porches, continues to be one of the busiest places in the city. Synagogues, mosques and churches jostle in the narrow streets of Toledo, which is characterised by the mixture of artistic styles. The Mosque of Cristo de la Luz, which predates the Christian reconquest, was built in 999 as a copy of the Mosque at Córdoba. It is an unusual building with a square floor plan covered by nine caliphal vaults (a type of groined vault leaving the centre free). To this, a Romanesque-Mudejar sanctuary was added in the 12th century.

Good examples from the Mozarabs (Christians who lived under Moslem rule) are the churches of San Sebastián and Santa Eulalia, while the Mudejars left in Toledo a style with rich Arab decoration. Horseshoe arches, lobed windows and other architectural elements can be appreciated in various buildings in Toledo. Santiago del Arrabal is one of the best examples of this style in the city, which has led this church also being known as the Mudejar Cathedral. The origin of its construction is uncertain, although it was probably in the time of King Alfonso VI when the church was built, taking advantage of an old mosque. The outstanding features of the early structure are a tower which recalls a Muslim minaret. The same Mudejar style can be seen in the church of Santo Tomé, famous for housing El Greco's famous picture entitled “El entierro del Conde Orgaz” (The burial of Count Orgaz). A 14th-century Mudejar tower stands above the rest of the building, which dates from the 12th century and has Visigothic elements on its main façade.

If there is one person's name that defines Toledo it is that of El Greco (16th-17th C.). His House-Museum, a palace with the atmosphere of the period, exhibits some of the best works of the painter who made the city world famous. Remains of the Jewish community are still preserved in the city in the synagogues of Santa María la Blanca and El Tránsito. The former, built possibly in the 12th century, is also a good example of Toledo's Mudejar art. It has five naves with decreasing heights as well as the characteristic geometrical and botanical decoration and horseshoe arches. Meanwhile, in the synagogue of El Tránsito, built in 1357, you can admire one of the best Mudejar coffered ceilings of all those preserved in Toledo, along with walls richly decorated with geometrical and botanical designs and Hebrew inscriptions. Nowadays, this Jewish place of worship houses the Sephardic Museum, in which an interesting collection of pieces of art and various objects used in Jewish ceremonies are exhibited. One of the most outstanding buildings in the city is the Cathedral, considered one of the high points of Gothic art.

The construction of this monumental building, with a basilica floor plan and five naves, because in 1226, although it was not finished until the 15th century. This is reflected in the great superimposition of styles in the building and the large number of renowned artists who left their mark on the church: from Pedro Berruguete, to Enrique Egás, Petrus Petri and Juan Guas. On its main facade the outstanding feature is the doorway, made up of three doors: Infierno (Hell), Perdón (Forgiveness) and Juicio (Judgement). The exterior is topped by the two cathedral towers, one of them in flamboyant Gothic style and the other in Gothic-Renaissance. Inside, the choir stalls, located in the building's central nave, are outstanding. Other main features are the beautiful flamboyant Gothic reredos in the main chapel as well as the many minor chapels, like those of San Ildefonso and El Sagrario, where the Arfe Processional Monstrance is housed.

This is a huge piece of precious metalwork decorated with 260 images and made of silver bathed in gold by Enrique de Arfe between 1517 and 1524. The treasure, at 2.5 metres high and weighing more than 160 kilos, takes the leading role in the procession of the Most Holy Corpus Christi, a festival declared of International Tourist Interest. Meanwhile, the Cathedral Museum houses a rich collection of works by painters like Goya, El Greco, Lucas Jordán and Van Dyck. Also Gothic are the San Martín bridge, which was built in the 13th century with its two characteristic defensive towers, and the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes. This superb example of flamboyant Gothic was one of the masterpieces of Juan Guas, who carried out the scheme commissioned by the Catholic Monarchs. The building, in flamboyant Gothic style, has a church which is outstanding for its great ornamentation and for its cloister, of great sculptural value. The Renaissance mark on Toledo can be appreciated in the Hospital de Tavera, turned into a museum housing pictures by El Greco, Ribera and Titian, among others.

Important architects of the period, like Covarrubias, Berruguete and Bustamante took part in its construction. Inside, the outstanding features are its courtyard, the tomb of Cardinal Tavera, the work of Berruguete, and the pharmacy, which maintains its original appearance. The palaces of Lorenzana, the site of the University, and Fuensalida are in Baroque style. Meanwhile, the Fortress, of medieval origin, presides over the whole city with its imposing image and contains a military museum and one of the largest public libraries in Spain. In its time it was an imperial residence, although the current building was later than the work carried out by Covarrubias and Herrera on the commission of Carlos I. Behind its thick walls it hides a large central courtyard and the imperial staircase. Meanwhile, on it southern façade, the oldest that remains, it has a viewpoint enabling you to see a beautiful view of the River Tagus and the city's surroundings. Cuisine, festivals and surroundings Toledo's cuisine has various specialities based on game products, like stewed partridge, Toledo-style quail or venison with wild mushrooms.

With the other provinces of La Mancha it shares pisto (based on pepper, tomato and onion), Castilian soup and migas (dish made with breadcrumbs and pork products). To round it off there is the famous La Mancha cheese and marzipan (made from ground almonds and sugar). These dishes may be accompanied with the wines of La Mancha and Méntrida, each with a Denomination of Origin. The most important date in Toledo's calendar is Corpus Christi, which is celebrated nine weeks after Easter. This festival, which has centuries of tradition and has been declared of International Tourist Interest, has its culminating moment in a large and colourful procession going round the historic centre of the capital of La Mancha. There are many possibilities for accommodation in the city, although it is advisable to book well enough in advance at any time of year. One of the best options is the Toledo Parador, situated on the neighbouring Emperador Hill and from where you can get a wonderful view of the city.

Other interesting places in the province of Toledo are Talavera de la Reina, with its Collegiate Church of Santa María la Mayor; Ocaña, with its Gothic-Mudejar church of San Juan Bautista; Guadamur, with a beautiful castle; and Oropesa, whose 14th-century castle-palace houses the local Parador de Turismo. In the south of the province, at the foot of the Montes de Toledo, is the Cabañeros National Park, a protected area that combines Mediterranean woodland in the mountains and meadows on the wide plains.

Question: Which city on the River Tagus, once the capital of Castile and later Spain, is the capital of the Castile-La-Mancha region?
Answer: TOLEDO