Editing Toledo, Spain (section)

==Culture==
The old city is located on a mountaintop with a 150-degree view, surrounded on three sides by a bend in the [[Tagus|Tagus River]], and contains many historical sites, including the [[Alcázar of Toledo|Alcázar]], the cathedral (the [[primate (bishop)|primate]] church of Spain), and the Zocodover, a central market place.

From the 4th century to the 16th century, about thirty [[synod]]s were held at Toledo. The earliest, directed against [[Priscillian]], was assembled in 400. At the synod of 589, the Visigothic king [[Reccared I|Reccared]] declared his conversion from [[Arianism]] to [[Catholicism]]; the synod of 633 decreed uniformity of Catholic liturgy throughout the Visigothic Kingdom and took stringent measures against baptized Jews who had relapsed into their former faith. Other councils forbade circumcision, Jewish rites, and observance of the Sabbath and festivals. Throughout the seventh century, Jews were flogged, executed, had their property confiscated, were subjected to ruinous taxes, forbidden to trade, and, at times, dragged to the baptismal font.<ref>S. Katz, ''The Jews in the Visigothic Kingdoms of Spain and Gaul'', (Cambridge 1937). Cited in [[Paul Johnson (writer)]], ''A History of the Jews'', p. 177</ref> The council of 681 assured to the [[Archdiocese of Toledo|archbishop of Toledo]] the primacy of Spain. At [[Guadamur]], very close to Toledo, the [[Treasure of Guarrazar]] was excavated in 1858, the best example of [[Visigothic art and architecture|Visigothic art]] in Spain.

As nearly one hundred early canons of Toledo found a place in the ''[[Decretum Gratiani]]'', they exerted an important influence on the development of [[Canon law|ecclesiastical law]]. The synod of 1565–1566 concerned itself with the execution of the decrees of the [[Council of Trent]], and the last council held at Toledo, 1582–1583, was guided in detail by [[Philip II of Spain|Philip II]].

Toledo had large communities of Muslims and Jews until they were [[Alhambra Decree|expelled from Spain in 1492]] (Jews) and 1502 ([[Mudéjar]]s). Today's city contains the religious monuments the [[Santa María la Blanca|Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca]], the [[Synagogue of El Tránsito]], the [[Mosque of Cristo de la Luz]] and the [[Church of San Sebastián, Toledo|Church of San Sebastián]] dating from before the expulsion, still maintained in good condition. Among [[Judaeo-Spanish|Ladino]]-speaking [[Sephardi Jews]], in their various diasporas, the [[family name]] [[Toledano]] is still prevalent, indicating ancestry from the city (the name is also attested among non-Jews in various [[Spanish language|Spanish-speaking countries]]).

In the 13th century, Toledo was a major cultural centre under the guidance of [[Alfonso X of Castile|Alfonso X]], known as "El Sabio" ("the Wise") for his love of learning. The [[Toledo School of Translators]], established under Archbishop [[Raymond de Sauvetât|Raymond of Toledo]], continued to bring vast stores of knowledge to Europe by rendering great academic and philosophical works in Arabic into Latin. The [[Palacio de Galiana]], built in the Mudéjar style, is one of the monuments remaining from that period.

The [[Cathedral of Toledo]] (''Catedral de Toledo'') was built between 1226 and 1493 and modeled after [[Bourges Cathedral]], though it also combines some characteristics of the Mudéjar style. It is remarkable for its incorporation of light and features a [[Baroque]] altar called ''[[El Transparente]]'', several storeys high, with fantastic figures of stucco, paintings, bronze castings, and several colors of marble, a masterpiece of medieval [[mixed media]] by [[Narciso Tomé]]. For a few minutes every day, a shaft of light shines through, from which this feature of the cathedral derives its name. The Mozarabic Chapel in the Toledo Cathedral still uses the [[Mozarabic Rite]] and music.<ref>{{cite book|title=A Companion to Medieval Toledo: Reconsidering the Canons|first=Yasmine|last=Beale-Rivaya|year=2018|isbn=9789004380516|page=100|publisher=Brill Publishers}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Art, Liturgy, and Legend in Renaissance Toledo: The Mendoza and the Iglesia Primada|first=Lynette M.|last=F. Bosch|year=2010|isbn=9780271043814|page=61|publisher=Pennsylvania State University Press}}</ref> Two notable bridges secured access to Toledo across the Tagus, the [[Puente de Alcántara, Toledo|Alcántara bridge]] and the later built [[Puente de San Martín (Toledo)|San Martín bridge]].

The [[Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, Toledo|Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes]] is a [[Franciscan]] [[monastery]], built 1477–1504, in a remarkable combination of Gothic-Spanish-Flemish style with Mudéjar ornamentation.

Toledo was home to [[El Greco]] for the latter part of his life, and is the subject of some of his most famous paintings, including ''[[The Burial of the Count of Orgaz]]'', exhibited in the Church of Santo Tomé.

When Philip II moved the [[royal court]] from Toledo to [[Madrid]] in 1561, the old city went into a slow decline from which it never recovered.

===Toledo steel===
{{Main|Toledo steel}}
Toledo has been a traditional sword-making, steel-working centre since about 500 BCE, and came to the attention of Rome when used by [[Hannibal]] in the [[Punic Wars]]. Soon, it became a standard source of weaponry for [[Roman legion]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.swordsfromtoledo.com/history.htm |title=History of Swords from Toledo |work=Swords from Toledo |access-date=31 July 2013 |archive-date=1 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801183829/http://www.swordsfromtoledo.com/history.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Toledo steel]] was famed for its very high quality [[alloy]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tf.uni-kiel.de/matwis/amat/def_en/kap_5/advanced/t5_1_1.html#_1 |title=Damascene Technique in Metal Working |access-date=31 July 2013 |first=Mariano |last=Zamorano |work=Fabrica de Espadas y Armas Blanca |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516044041/http://www.tf.uni-kiel.de/matwis/amat/def_en/kap_5/advanced/t5_1_1.html#_1 |archive-date=16 May 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> whereas [[Damascene steel]], a competitor from the [[Middle Ages]] on, was also famed for a specific metal-working technique.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aceros-de-hispania.com/toledo-swords.htm |title=History of the Toledo Swords |work=Aceros de Hispania |access-date=31 July 2013 |language=es}}</ref>

Today there is a significant trade, and many shops offer all kinds of swords to their customers, whether historical or modern swords used in films, as well as armor from the medieval period and other times, which are also exported to other countries.

===Gastronomy===
[[File:CARCAMUSAS.JPG|thumb|[[Carcamusa]]s (made of lean pork with seasonal vegetables) are considered a local specialty.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.larazon.es/gastronomia/20220204/pd3rvodl4vgmnpjdkuy6pezhoi.html|website=[[La Razón (Madrid)|La Razón]]|title=Este es el plato más típico de cada provincia española|first=Ángel Luis de|last=Santos|date=4 February 2022}}</ref>]]
Some of the local specialties include lamb roast or stew, ''cochifrito'', ''alubias con perdiz'' (beans with partridge) and ''perdiz estofoda'' (partridge stew), ''[[carcamusa]]'', ''[[migas]]'', ''[[Gachas#Castile-La Mancha|gachas manchegas]]'', and ''tortilla a la magra''. In addition, there are local versions of dishes from the nearby capital of Spain, Madrid, as is the case of the ''cocido toledano''. Two of the city's most famous food products are [[Manchego]] cheese and [[marzipan]], which has a [[Protected Geographical Indication]] (''mazapán de Toledo'').<ref name = "gastronomia">{{cite web|title=red2000.com – Toledo : Gastronomía|url=http://www.red2000.com/spain/toledo/1gastro.html|access-date=11 January 2012}}</ref><ref name="platos_típicos">{{cite web|date=7 November 2020|title=viajegastronomico.com – Platos Típicos|url=https://viajegastronomico.com/gastronomia-espana/comida-tipica-toledo/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031111609/https://viajegastronomico.com/gastronomia-espana/comida-tipica-toledo/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=October 31, 2020|access-date=7 November 2020|website=Viajegastronomico.com}}</ref>
{{See also|Castilian-Manchego cuisine|l1=Cuisine of Castilla–La Mancha}}

===Holidays===
[[File:Corpus Christi - Toledo, Spain - 2010 -.jpg|thumb|right|2010 Feast of Corpus Christi]]
The Virgen del Valle pilgrimage is celebrated on May 1 at the Ermita de la Virgen del Valle, a popular spot for visitors.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} Holy Week, which has been declared of National Tourist Interest, is marked in spring with various processions (including several on Good Friday) and religious and cultural events.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} The {{ill|Corpus Christi (Toledo)|es|Corpus Christi en Toledo|lt=local feast of Corpus Christi}} has held the status of celebration of [[Fiestas of International Tourist Interest of Spain|International Tourist Interest]] since 1980.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dclm.es/noticia.php?id=53810|website=Dclm|title=La Diputación toledana participa en la ofrenda floral del Corpus Christi|date=14 June 2017}}</ref> It was conventionally celebrated 60 days after [[Resurrection Sunday]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telecinco.es/informativos/sociedad/20220616/procesion-corpus-christi-toledo_18_06774306.html|website=[[Telecinco]]|title=Toledo se echa a la calle para celebrar la festividad del Corpus Christi|date=16 June 2022}}</ref> The celebration of Catholic feasts had its heyday during the [[Baroque]], post-[[Council of Trent|Trent]] period.<ref>{{Cite journal|journal=Zainak|volume=26|page=386|url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/11498145.pdf|title=El Corpus de Toledo. Una fiesta religiosa y profana en los siglos XVI y XVII|year=2004|first=Hilario|last=Rodríguez de Gracia}}</ref> A processional cortege travels around {{convert|2|km|mi|spell=in|abbr=off}} of streets and richly decorated awnings.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} The Virgen del Sagrario is celebrated on 15 August, featuring a procession inside the Cathedral and drinking water of the Virgin from jars.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} [[Labor Day in Toledo, Spain|Labour Day]] celebrations begin on the night of April 30.