Zocodover Square

The Plaza de Zocodover

The Toledo audio-guided tour leads you to the Plaza de Zocodover, the nerve centre of the city for centuries, a meeting place par excellence.

From the Arab market to the heart of the city

A part of the square dates from the sixteenth century and was built under the reign of Philip II, son of Charles V, whose reign marked the apogee of Spain, the famous Golden Age. The name Zocodover comes from Arabic and derives from "square of the market of beasts of burden": at the time when Toledo was a Hispano-Muslim city, it is here that one came to buy horses, donkeys and foals. Since then, the square has remained the centre of Toledan life, a place of rendezvous, festivities and markets, lined with cafés and lively terraces.

What there is to see

The Plaza de Zocodover is the beating heart of Toledo, animated by its terraces, its cafés and its passers-by. An ideal starting point to explore the old town, it preserves the memory of its past as a Hispano-Muslim market. It is the dream place to soak up the Toledan atmosphere and take a break along the visit.

Practical information

The Plaza de Zocodover is in the heart of the old town of Toledo. A public square, it can be walked freely at all hours and on the level; its cafés and terraces follow their own hours.

Where does the name Zocodover come from?

From Arabic, deriving from "square of the market of beasts of burden", because horses and donkeys were sold there in the Hispano-Muslim era.

What role does the Plaza de Zocodover play today?

It is the heart of Toledan life, a place of rendezvous, festivities and markets, and an ideal starting point to visit the city.