The Toledo Cathedral towers above the skyline from afar in this picturesque city. Once you start walking among the narrow, winding streets, it isn’t as easy to find. We were convinced that once we parked and took the escalators up into the city, we would never find our way back out again!! It feels rather mysterious to walk among the old streets to find such treasures “hidden” around each corner. Smaller buildings hide larger buildings along the hilly streets. When you finally round that last bend to see this large cathedral standing before you, you will know it was worth the effort.
This being my first trip to Spain and my first church on the visit, I was quite impressed and hoped that other cathedrals/churches in Spain would be as grand. I could complain about the €5.50 entrance fee and no pictures allowed, but I won’t. I understand why some churches have these policies and some don’t. I would just rather make my own donation inside the church and be allowed to take some digital memories rather than purchasing their guidebook. The fee covers entrance to the Capillas, sacristy and treasury.
The present cathedral is built on the site of a 7th-century church. Work began in 1226 and the last vaults were finally completed in 1493. It is one of the largest cathedrals in Christendom. You will see a mix of styles that reflects this long building period. Most guidebooks will tell you the same thing: visit the High Altar Reredos, the choir, paintings by famous artists, and the Transparente, a Baroque altarpiece.
The High Altar Reredos has to be the most beautiful part of the cathedral. It is polychrome and depicts scenes from Christ’s life. Its gilded detail will have you sitting there in awe. It is floor to ceiling and is immaculately detailed. The choir was another intricately detailed part of the cathedral. Its wooden carvings show detail of the fall of Granada and above those are alabaster figures from the Old Testament. In the Treasury you will find people crowded around the Monstrance, a 16th-century gold and silver treasure that is carried through the streets of Toledo during Corpus Christi celebrations at the end of May.