Catedral de Toledo

Catedral de Toledo (Toledo Cathedral), which bears the full name ‘The Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo’, is a gothic church in Spain and the seat of the Archdiocese of Toledo.

History of the Catedral de Toledo

Original construction of Catedral de Toledo began in 1226 during the reign of King San Fernando and continued for over two centuries. It’s one of the 3 13th century High Gothic cathedrals in Spain, and many consider it to be the finest. However, prior to this a mosque stood on this spot

The final building is mostly Gothic in style, with a central nave which was completed in 1300, the 15th century Santiago Chapel, beautiful stained glass windows and eighty eight columns. However, in a purported concession to the mosque that once stood on the site, it does contain aspects of the Mudejar style in the cloisters and the cathedral’s triforium.

Catedral de Toledo forms a central aspect of the city and is one of its most popular sites. It is of both architectural and historical importance and contains many original artifacts as well as artwork by Lucas Jordan, Juan de Borgona, el Greco, Velazquez and Goya. It also houses the sarcophagi of the Constable of Castile, Alvaro de Luna and his wife. Visitors can also see 16th century gilded wood depictions of scenes from the New Testament in its main chapel and scenes from the conquest of Granada in the choir stalls, created in the 15th century.

Catedral de Toledo today

The cathedral is one of the highlights of Toledo – it’s open every day, but Sunday afternoon only unless you’re going to Mass. There is an admission fee. It’s worth the extra €2,50 for the ticket with the Torre de las Campanas included. With it, you’ll get access to the upper levels of the cloisters and a chance to see the historic centre of Toledo from one of the best viewpoints in the city. The Museo de Tapices y Textiles de la Catedral next door is included in the admission fee.

The sacristy is generally viewed to be the best part of the cathedral – or at least the area with the most amazing artworks crammed together. The interior can be dark / dimly lit so take your time to view everything as best you can.

Getting to the Catedral de Toledo

The cathedral is in the heart of the old city of Toledo and it’s hard to miss. It’s a 5 minute walk from the Alcazar and a 25 minute walk from Toledo’s train station where you can catch hourly connections to Madrid Atocha.