The Capital - Toledo
Historically and culturally it is one of the most important cities of Spain. Tourism is its most important industry, and armaments and engraved metalwork are manufactured.

The city's general aspect has changed little since El Greco painted his famous View of Toledo. Its chief landmark, the alcázar (fortified palace), was originally a Moorish structure, restored in the 13th cent. and transformed (1535, 1576) to serve as residence for Charles V and Philip II. It was largely destroyed (1936) in the Spanish civil war, when the Nationalists, with their women and children, shut themselves up inside and withstood a Loyalist siege for two months, until relieved by Franco's forces. After the war the fortress was again restored.

Toledo is surrounded by partly Moorish, partly Gothic walls and gates. Of Moorish origin also is the Alcántara bridge. The Gothic cathedral, begun in 1226, is one of the finest in Spain and houses El Greco's Espolio and other paintings by him in its lovely baroque chapels. Among the other many famous buildings are the Church of Santo Tomé, with El Greco's Burial of the Conde de Orgaz; the Church of Santa María la Blanca (12th–13th cent.; formerly a synagogue); the Convent of San Juan de los Reyes (15th cent.), with five Gothic cloisters; the Hospital of San Juan Bautista (15th–16th cent.), which has some paintings by El Greco; the former Tránsito synagogue, in Mudéjar style; and the Greco Museum..

Toledo Cathedral
Toledo Cathedral was built on the site originally occupied by the church consecrated in 578, in the time of Recaredo, and later by tbe Moslem mosque which, during the Reconquest was transformed into a church. As this was aging and becoming out of step with the town's development, the buildig of the present Catbedral commenced, when Don Rodrigo Xim‚nez de Rada was Archbishop. The King St. Ferdinand and the Archbishop laid tbe first stone in 1226 when, apparently, work had already begun. During the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, wben Don Pedro González de Mendoza was Archbishop of Toledo, the last vaults were closed in. In 1238 tbe 15 chapels of tbe apse aisle were completed and in 1247 the Chapel of St. Eugene was finished. The transept was completed around 1300, for the northern gable wall and the Clock Gate appear to be of tbis period. Nevertheless, construction work continued during the following two centuries.