A different view of Toledo November 13 2011

We had a lot of fun with the Butlers while they were here in Madrid. For one of our last outings together we went to Toledo.  The Menkens had travelled by train from Atocha, on our previous visit and this time we went by bus from Príncipe Pío but entered the city on foot by the same gate. With the Butlers we visited different areas and we took a trolley train tour around the town and so we saw a little more of the city.

Bisagra Gate: Possibly a name derived from Bab Shara, Arab for Country door.
Was built (1550) with an imperial entrance in mind - is actually a square of high battlemented walls surrounding an interior patio.

We're back in Toledo, where the souvenir shops have many weapons and armour.

Bisagra gate
View from inside the city showing the green and white pyramidal spires on the two square towers.

Fascinated by the souvenirs but we have to move on.

The Alcázar
By the end of the "Siege of the Alcázar" during the Spanish Civil War it was severely damaged and needed to be rebuilt.
Now a library and a Museum of the Army.

The Alcázar was built on the highest point of Toledo.

Alcántara Bridge over the River Tagus (Río Tajo)

Following the river around for a south view of the city

The trolley train took us around the outside of the city.

South view of the Alcázar

South view of Toldeo showing the Alcázar and the Cathedral.

Autumnal day in Toledo 13th November 2011

The Cathedral with San Marcos to its left.

Puente de San Martín and the butress remains from the old bridge destroyed in 1203 by a flood.

Trolley train that took us on our tour of the city.

Zocodover Plaza at the end of our trolley train tour.

Walking towards the Cathedral.

Plaza de Ayuntamiento

Catedral Primada Santo María de Toledo

Gothic Cathedral built (1226 -1493) with white limestone from the quarries in Olihuelas, near by.

Walking, walking, walking to find the Jewish part of the city, everyone needed a short break.

Finally we found a Synagogue

Synagogue of El Transito.
The oldest synagogue in Toledo (1356), was originally the private family synagogue of the King's wealthy treasurer, Don Samuel Halevi Abulafia.

Synagogue of El Transito: When built all the laws of synagogues being smaller than churches and plain of decoration were defied. In 1492 it was converted into a church, however, it is now a museum (Sephardi) showing the Jewish culture of the medieval Toledo.

 

Río Tajo

The restaurant that kept us waiting forever and then after taking our order, told us that the kitchen had now closed.

On our way back towards Bisagra Gate, our exit to the bus.