Toledo is one of the oldest...
by Tolik
Toledo is one of the oldest towns in Spain. The capital of an Iberian tribe, it was captured by the Romans in 192BC and given the name of Toletum. Under the Visigots (between 534 and 712) it again enjoyed the capital status. During the Moorish period the town was known as Tolaitola. In 1087 Toledo become the residence of the kings of Castile and ecclesiastical center of the whole of Spain. With the transfer of the capital to Madrid by Philip II in 1561 the town lost all political importance...
Living Old Town
by travelife
No matter how old Toledo could be, its a living town in modern era. As a result, there's sometimes sudden traffic jam made up of cars inside the old town. And that gives you an opportunity to see the Spaniards making their 'loud' point!
Lavender, Rosemary & Thyme
by keeweechic
The streets are covered with material canopies which are lined with Lavender, Rosemary and Thyme. Wrought iron lamps feature at intervals along the canopies. The buildings are adorned with flowers or floral adornments with flags and tapestries.
Calle de los Alfileritos
by andal13
Calle de los Alfileritos (Little Pins Street) is one of the several narrow streets of the ancient city. The legend says that once upon a time, two lovers were separeted by the war; the lady went each and every night to visit an image of Virgin Mary, situated on this street, to pray for her lover's life. As she was afraid of sleeping, she asked her maid to sting her with a pin; then, she gave the pin to the Virgin, as a proof of her sacrifice. One day, happily, the gentleman came back.
Nowadays, the Toledan girls leave a pin, and ask the Virgin for a boy-friend. I don't know if this works, because when I went there, I forgot the pin!!!
La Calle de los Alfileritos es una de las numerosas callejuelas de la ciudad antigua. Cuenta la leyenda que una vez, dos amantes se vieron separados por la guerra; la dama iba cada noche hasta una imagen de la Virgen María, situada en esta calle, para rezar por la vida de su amado. Como temía quedarse dormida, le pedía a su doncella que la pinchara con un alfiler; luego ofrendaba el alfiler a la Virgen, como prueba de su sacrificio. Un día, felizmente, el caballero regresó...
Hoy en día, las chicas toledanas dejan un alfiler y le piden un novio a la Virgen. Yo no sé si da resultado, porque cuando estuve allí, me olvidé de llevar un alfiler!!!!
Tomas Torquemada
by Kuznetsov_Sergey
The court of inquisition (its name is translated as "test") has been founded by the decree of Ferdinand and Isabella for strengthening Catholic belief in the captured country. Moslems and Jews who lived on these grounds, after a christening secretly kept the belief also planned mutinies. The Great Inquisitor was the head of the court. The most well-known inquisitor was a christened Jew Tomas Torquemada. Possibly he became the prototype of a bright image of the Great Inquisitor in "Karamazov Brothers" by Dostoevsky.