Toledo

This week has been great! Every new day is a new adventure. I’m starting to feel more and more tired each day, so I have to remind myself that I have a lot of time to do everything that I want! We were able to do lots of new things this week, including attending a Real Madrid game!! I’ve never been to a professional soccer game, so it was overwhelming the amount of screaming and cheers that happened! Real Madrid ended up losing by one goal to Real Betis, but we were just psyched that someone scored a goal. Haha! Our excursion this weekend was to Toledo. Toledo is unique in that no one is allowed to construct buildings that are new/of modern design. So, it feels like you take a step back in time while you walk the streets. It’s incredible! We were able to tour a few cathedrals, Roman bridge, synagogues, and mosques. Our professor said that if you come to Toledo and don’t take time to reflect about life, then you’re doing something wrong. So, I really enjoyed the time that I had to think about my trip to Spain and the future! Here’s a few pictures from the weekend. Below the pictures, there are a few more paragraphs. Our homework for one of our classes is to post on our blog what we learn about the cities we travel to. If you don’t want to read my homework assignment, stop now 😉. 

Shopping: Toledo is famous for producing steel. They crest swords, daggers, knifes, as well as decorative items (plates, pots, etc). Toledo was the main producer for the  props for Lord of the Rings. You can buy tons of knock offs of the swords of Frodo, or the "one ring". Toledo has been making steel since about 500 BC. The Romans were amazed by the production, and used began using it in all of their battles. Their steel production continues to be in high demand. 

Toledo sits right on the edge of a river. Because of this, it is protected strategically. It was very difficult for enemy countries to overtake Toledo because of how it was situated on the river. Lots of different people wanted to overtake it, since it was a secure place to live. The only way to overcome the city was basically by air! 

The Jewish community has been in Toledo for centuries. One of the remnants of their presence is the Jewish quarter. Along the streets, you can find small ceramic squares with Hebrew words, menorahs, or small maps of Spain. Included in the Jewish quarter is a synagogue, the Santa Maria la Blanca. It's considered the oldest synagogue in all of Europe, even though today it is owned by the Catholic Church. It currently isn't used for religious ceremonies. Inside, it has beautiful white arches that are decorated in gold  symbols. Interestingly, only one star or David can be found in the whole synagogue. You can definitely tell that he builders were influenced by their Moorish neighbors--it first seems like you have walked into a mosque. This was definitely one of my favorite places since you could see a true blend of all cultures that occupied Toledo. 

The cathedral of Toledo is considered one of the most impressive cathedrals in all of Europe. It has extremely high vaulting/ceilings, an impressive amount of smaller chapels connected to it, and numerous sculptures of the Savior and of the bible. Almost every part of the cathedral is decorated with some part of the Bible, whether it be Adam and Eve or Cain and Abel. One of the most impressive things for me was the length of the cathedral. It's divided by high alter, but you can imagine the incredible view from one side of the cathedral to the other side. Around the alter, the story of the Bible has been carved into the stone walls. Even the ceilings are decorated--one of my favorites was a dome that had been covered in paintings of the heavens. The cathedral also claims to have the stone that Mary stood on as she received her call to be the Savior's mother. The great monstrance of arfe is incredible--the people carry it through the streets during corpus cristi. It's hard to describe, but it basically looks like a mini gold chapel. It's the pride of cathedral. The cathedral of Toledo definitely lived up to its fame.