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Calle Navarro Ledesma, n0 1, Toledo, 45001, Spain
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Pedestrian bridge and gate
Exit of the escalator
Tourist Groups walking Toledo Streets
The archway at Plaza de Zocodover
At the kind suggestion of ATLC this question is re-asked in the Toledo forum as well as the world - thanks ATLC
I'm trying to finish off my Toledo page and hope someone with knowledge can assist please.
In the lead up to our trip that included the fascinating city of Toledo, Spain, I read of an incident from maybe 1000 years ago (or there-abouts) where a conquering group decided to try and make peace with the locals. They hosted a huge banquet and invited most of the city to attend. The locals all turned up in their finery and couple by couple was lead down a staircase and be-headed. Apparantly some 5000 lives were lost. That night is commemorated as "the night of the pit."
OK that's the story I got from somewhere (travel guide, book, whatever) and no amount of internet research can shed any light on the story, so I'm wondering if its one of those urban myth tales.
Can anyone help with any info please.
Thanks
David
You're welcome!
As I said: interesting story.
Reminds me of The St. Bartholomew's Day massacre.
So this is in effect a bookmark :-)
Or perhaps it is such a clever way of getting rid of your enemies, that is repeated with success time and time again...
Bartholomew's night really happened...
I remembered to have heard about this, so I did some research....
It seems it happened on 807 AC, during the times of the Moorish kingdom of Toledo:
http://www.toledo-spain.info/history.html
If you can read Spanish:
http://www.zocodover.com/z/Leyendas/Leyenda.asp?Id=3
I think that part of the history is true, even probably the number of deaths were exaggerated over the years. But I sure was a terrible massacre, as there is still a popular expression "pasar una noche toledana" (when someone had a very bad nigh), even most people using this expression probably have no idea of its origin.
But "IT" sure was a terrible massacre... not me! :o)
Thanks very much Isa. After the previous poster, I was starting to think the story was almost like the "smoking guns" story of today in Iraq.
When in Toledo I did ask quite a few locals about the truth of the story and none had heard it before - just amazing history. Toledo seemed more interested in "Man of La Mancha" and the 2 characters in the novel judging by all the paraphanilia on sale in the shops - and yes the Spanish seemed to be going overboard buying up minitures of Don Quixote and his fat little offsider.
Thanks again Isa and to the other posters too.
Well, I'm a history freak.... just love finding info like this.
Probably most Spaniards never heard of this, or they had forget. Our history is far too complex and places like Toledo have zillions of historical events, legends, tales and anecdotes. Difficult to get track of all, especially 1200 years after they happened :)
Toledo rises out of the flat Spanish countryside like one of its many church spires rises over a narrow street. The Romans arrived in the First Century A.D. taking full advantage of the mountainaous location surrounded by a protective river. They further fortified the city centuries later by building a protective wall. Make sure you walk around the edges of historic Toledo and view the River Tagus from different vantage points.
Marzipan is a little sweet for my taste but is evidently big here it seems to be all around the Mediterranean. I have seen some brightly colored marzipan creations before, but I am not sure anything equals this model of the Church of St. Tome. The popularity of both the sweet and the art is attested to by the presence of marzipan shops all over town
One of the joys of Toledo is wandering through the narrow streets of the old Jewish quarter, following the twists and turns and hopefully not getting thoroughly lost !
This is Calle de San Juan de Dios, where you can find Casa del Greco.
Picturesque narrow streets from time to time turning a stone ladder, will necessarily lead you to any new discovery, whether it is the ancient Cathedral or a fine view on a valley which is spread below.
This is another tip just for foreigners, as we don't use to have this posters at home...
You go there, say your name and in 5 minutes it goes in a Bullfighting / Flamenco poster.
This stand was in front of the Santo Tome Church (El Greco "CondeOrgaz" painting), in case you are interested.
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