Catedral de Santa María

About Catedral de Santa María

📜 History

Toledo's Primate Cathedral rises where once stood the great Muslim mosque, which itself occupied the site of the 6th-century Visigothic cathedral. Its Gothic construction began in 1226 under King Ferdinand III the Saint and Archbishop Rodrigo Jiménez de Rada's impulse. Works extended over three centuries, incorporating different masters who adapted French Gothic to Castilian genius. The tower, begun in 1380 by Master Alfonso and completed in the 15th century, stands as the imperial city's symbol.

🏛️ Architecture

Considered Spanish Gothic's opus magnum, the Cathedral presents five naves of extraordinary luminosity, departing from the darker French model. Its 750 stained glass windows from the 14th-16th centuries create a kaleidoscope of divine light. The choir, enclosed by Juan Guas, houses unique Plateresque choir stalls. The Main Chapel preserves an exceptional Gothic-Mudéjar altarpiece. The 14th-century Gothic-Mudéjar cloister reflects Toledan cultural synthesis. The 17th-century sacristy, Jorge Manuel Theotocópuli's work, safeguards masterpieces by El Greco, Goya, and Van Dyck.

⭐ Key Facts

As Spain's Primate See, the Cathedral holds honorary supremacy over all Spanish churches. Its cathedral treasure includes Enrique de Arfe's monstrance, a Spanish Renaissance art masterpiece. For Toledo, it represents the city's historical and spiritual heart. Tourists worldwide admire its medieval stained glass and picture gallery. Researchers study here the coexistence of medieval's three cultures: Christian, Jewish, and Muslim. Its archive contains fundamental documents for Spanish history since Visigothic times.

A temple where twenty centuries of Spanish history converge in a sublime symphony of light, art, faith, and tradition.

Information verified by the EncuentraIglesias editorial team