Santiago del Arrabal Church

The Church of Santiago del Arrabal

The Toledo audio-guided tour presents you with the Church of Santiago del Arrabal, Saint James of the Suburbs, one of the finest examples of Mudéjar art in the city.

A church built by Mudéjar craftsmen

In Mudéjar style, the Church of Santiago del Arrabal is, like many in Toledo, the reconversion of a former mosque: its bell tower, separated from the rest of the building, is probably the former minaret, the tower from which the call to prayer was launched, to which a bell was added. The present building dates from the thirteenth century. A first church is said to have been built from the Reconquest of Toledo in the eleventh century, but it would have fallen into ruins after the long siege the city suffered. It is thanks to the know-how of the Mudéjar craftsmen that it could be rebuilt around 1246. Its façades are adorned with magnificent sculpted portals with characteristic shapes.

What there is to see

The Church of Santiago del Arrabal invites contemplation through its Mudéjar architecture, its bell tower inherited from a minaret and its sculpted portals. A witness of the genius of the Mudéjar craftsmen and the history of the three cultures of Toledo, it is one of the finest buildings of this style in the city, to be admired along the walk.

Practical information

The Church of Santiago del Arrabal is in the suburbs district of Toledo, near the Puerta de Bisagra. A place of worship, it is discovered with respect for the services, according to hours to be checked on site.

Why is the bell tower of Santiago del Arrabal separated?

Because it is probably the former minaret of the mosque on which the church was built, completed with a bell.

From when does the Church of Santiago del Arrabal date?

The present building dates from the thirteenth century, rebuilt around 1246 by Mudéjar craftsmen.