Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo

The Saint Mary Cathedral of Toledo

The Toledo audio-guided tour leads you, on the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, to the Saint Mary Cathedral, a Gothic jewel and seat of the archdiocese, one of the major monuments of the city.

A sanctuary at the crossroads of civilisations

The religious importance of the site is very ancient: a church stood there from the sixth century, when the Visigoths had made Toledo their capital. In 712, after the capture of the city by the Muslims, the church was replaced by a great mosque. Three centuries later, Alphonse VI conquered Toledo and promised the Muslims that they could keep their places of worship. The Gothic cathedral admired today, the seat of the archdiocese, was raised from the thirteenth century on the site of the mosque, over several centuries. It illustrates, through this succession, the history of Toledo, a city where the Christian, Muslim and Jewish cultures crossed.

What there is to see

The Saint Mary Cathedral invites contemplation through the scale of its Gothic naves, its stained-glass windows, its sculpted choir and its richly adorned chapels. A treasure of art and spirituality, it houses works by great masters and testifies to the power of the archdiocese of Toledo. It is an essential monument, in the heart of the city, to be discovered with respect.

Practical information

The Saint Mary Cathedral is on the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, in the heart of Toledo. A place of worship, it can be visited with respect for the services, according to hours to be checked on site; access is generally subject to a charge.

What was there before the cathedral?

A Visigothic church of the sixth century, then a great mosque built after 712, to which the Gothic cathedral succeeded from the thirteenth century.

What is the role of the cathedral of Toledo?

It is the seat of the archdiocese of Toledo, a high spiritual and artistic place of Spain.