TOLEDO

One of the few remaining masjids from the Islamic period is located in Toledo. We will visit masjid Bib Mardum, a small square structure which had been converted into a church after Toledo fell to the Christians. Today it stands as an archeological site. The building reflects designs characteristic of structures built by Muslims in the 10th century.

The Cathedral of Toledo is one of the largest in the world. It stands on the site of the former jami' masjid of Toledo, as it was a common practice of the Christian rulers to replace congregational masjids with a cathedrals, and smaller masjids with churches. The cathdral contains a chapel, designed in the Moorish style, that was used by the Mozarabs, Christians who had adopted the Arabic culture while living under Muslim rule, and who continued in that style even after the city had changed hands.

We will also visit an important Jewish synagogue that had been converted into a church and convent. It is called the Sinagoga de Santa Maria La Blanca.

We will walk through the narrow streets of the city as we visit these various sites, have lunch in one of the plazas, and conclude our tour with a walk across the famous Moorish bridge that crosses the Tagus.