Madrid one more time 16

Toledo is a bit like Jerusalem in that Jews, Muslims and Christians all endowed the city with prominent religious sights. Sometimes a single building shows influences of all three, like Santa Maria la Blanca which was initially a synagogue (albeit one built by the Moors for the local Jewish population at the time) that since 1405 has been a church (St Mary the White).

Despite its long and complex history the building most closely resembles a mosque, with delicate columns topped by Arabic arches, the simple rhythms of their arrangement enlivened by complex geometric carvings in the stonework.

Like the Jews, Muslims do not allow any representation of God. Muslims also forbid any depiction of the human form in their art, so unlike the overblown extravagance of the Catholic cathedral, decoration is limited to shapes and words.

Despite its modest proportions, the building gave me an idea of what Cordoba’s Mezquita must look like inside (that will have to be another trip). Leaving behind this small but interesting building, we soon found a massive monastery which turned out to be the highlight of the day.

San Juan de Los Reyes (St John of the Kings) does not look like much from the entrance but after buying our tickets, going down a flight of stairs and heading through a door overlooked by a reclining skeleton we emerged into a sunlit cloister.

A cloister is the garden of a monastery and here the square colonnade surrounds a courtyard scented by the blossoms of the roses, limes and oranges growing here. There were many delightful features to admire while strolling under the arches – decorative tiles, a painted wooden ceiling and exquisite stone carving. Unlike the overwrought cathedral, the decoration appeared much more restrained and cohesive.

This unified approach continued as we entered the sanctuary, an enormous space that easy to take in thanks to the limited use of colour and gilt. Without these distractions it was easy to admire the beauty of the stonework and interpret the clear Biblical messages of the altarpiece.

If the two-headed eagles adorning the sanctuary look familiar it’s because this religious symbol was adopted by General Franco after his fascist forces overran the city during the Spanish Civil War.

Heading up some steps took us to the upper level of the cloisters, for a bird’s eye view of the gardens to cap off our visit to this lovely, tranquil place.

During our visit we saw maybe four other people the entire time in a building nearly as large and impressive as the cathedral (for a fraction of the admission price to boot). Highly recommended!