Toledo is primarily located on the right (north) bank of theTagus in centralIberia, nestled in a bend of the river.
Built on a previousCarpetanian settlement, Toledo developed into an important Roman city ofHispania, later becoming the capital of theVisigothic Kingdom and seat of apowerful archdiocese. Often unsubmissive toUmayyad central rule during the Islamic period, Toledo nonetheless acquired a status as a major cultural centre promoting productive cultural exchanges between theIslamic world andLatin Christendom, which it retained after thecollapse of the caliphate and the creation of theTaifa of Toledo in the early 11th century. Following theChristian conquest in 1085, Toledo continued to enjoy an important status within theCrown of Castile and remained open to Muslim and Jewish influences for the next two centuries.[3] In the early modern period, the economy stayed afloat for a while after the loss of political power toMadrid thanks to the silk industry, but Toledo entered a true decline in the 1630s, in the context ofoverall economic recession.[4]
In the 21st century, population growth in the municipality has largely concentrated in theSanta María de Benquerencia (a.k.a. Polígono) district,[5] a modern residential area detached from the historic centre located upstream on the left (south) bank of the Tagus. As of January 2024[update], the municipality had a population of 86,526.[6] The municipality has an area of 232.1 km2 (89.6 sq mi).
The city has aGothic cathedral and a long history in the production ofbladed weapons, which are now commonly sold as souvenirs. Toledo was declared aWorld Heritage Site byUNESCO in 1986 for its extensive monumental and cultural heritage.
Over the centuries, the city has been known by various names:Toletum inLatin,Tulaytulah (طليطلة) in Arabic,Toldoth (טולדות) inJudaeo-Spanish, andTolétho inAndalusi Romance.[7] The earliest written reference toToletum appears in the work of the Roman historianLivy, who suggested that the name derived fromTollitum, which evolved intoTollitu,Tollito,Tolleto,Tolledo, and eventuallyToledo. The name is thought to mean "raised" or "elevated". An alternative interpretation, cited by Martín Gallego, attributes the name to the "double bends or meanders formed by the river that surrounds it." The 12th-century writer Abu Abd Allah al-Ayyubi claimed thatTulaytulah (طليطلة), theArabic name for the city, means "the joyful", though he offered no further explanation.[7] Jewish tradition derives the name from theHebrewtoledot ("generations" or "histories") ortulaytula ("wandering" or "migration"), associating it with Jewish exiles who are said to have settled in the area following thedestruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE.[8]
The name Toledo has been adopted by five cities in theUnited States—located in the states ofOhio,Illinois,Oregon,Iowa, andWashington—as well as by other localities in Canada,Belize,Brazil, Portugal,Colombia, thePhilippines, andUruguay. In Spain, there are four additional places bearing the name in the provinces of Huesca, Ourense, Asturias, and Tenerife.
One of Toledo's well-known epithets, "The City of Three Cultures", refers to a historical period during which Christians, Jews, and Muslims coexisted in the city. However, this label has been described as "grandiose" and is often attributed to politicians and tourism promoters. Critics argue that the myth of peaceful religious coexistence masks a more complex history marked by religious oppression.[9]
Toledo (Latin:Toletum) is described by the Roman historianLivy (ca. 59 BCE – 17 CE) asurbs parva, sed loco munita ("a small city, but fortified by location"). Roman generalMarcus Fulvius Nobilior fought a battle near the city in 193 BCE against a confederation ofCeltic tribes, defeating them and capturing a king called Hilermus.[10][11] At that time, Toletum was a city of theCarpetani tribe in the region ofCarpetania.[12] It was incorporated into theRoman Empire as acivitas stipendiaria (a tributary city of non-citizens) and later as amunicipium.[13] With this status, city officials obtainedRoman citizenship for public service, and the forms ofRoman law and politics were increasingly adopted.[14] At approximately this time, aRoman circus, city walls,public baths, and a municipal water supply and storage system were constructed in Toletum.[15]
The Roman circus in Toledo was one of the largest inHispania. The circus could hold up to 15,000 spectators. A fragmentary stone inscription records circus games paid for by a citizen of unknown name to celebrate his achieving the sevirate, a kind of priesthood conferring high status.[15] Games were held in the circus late into the 4th and early 5th centuries, an indication of active city life and ongoing patronage by wealthy elites.[16]
Toledo started to gain importance in late antiquity. There are indications that large private houses (domus) within the city walls were enlarged, while several large villas were built north of the city through the 3rd and 4th centuries.[17] Church councils were held in Toledo in the years400 and527 to discuss the conflict withPriscillianism.[18] In 546 (or possibly earlier),Visigoth rulers installed the capital of their kingdom in Toledo.[19] KingTheudis was in Toledo in 546, where he promulgated the only law of which records remain from the period, known from a single manuscript.[20]
Throughout the 7th century, a series of further church councils—the so-calledCouncils of Toledo—attempted to reconcile differing theological views and enacted anti-Jewish laws.[21] By the end of the 7th century, the bishop of Toledo was the leader of all other bishops in Hispania, a situation unusual in Europe. The city was also unmatched as a symbolic center of monarchy.[22][23]
Following the Umayyad conquest, invaders were ethnically diverse, and available evidence suggests that in the area of Toledo (known asTulaytilah in Arabic),Berber settlement predominated overArab.[27] In 742, the Berbers in Al-Andalus rebelled against the Arab Umayyad governors. They took control of the north and unsuccessfully laid siege to the city.[28]
The city retained its importance as a literary and ecclesiastical centre well into the mid-8th century, as theChronicle of 754 demonstrated.[29] During this period, several letters show of the primacy that the church of Toledo held.[n. 1]
Under the Umayyademirate of Cordoba, Toledo was the centre of numerous insurrections against the Cordoban government from 761 to 857.[31][32] Girbib ibn Abdallah, a poet from Toledo, wrote verses against the Umayyads, helping to inspire a revolt in the city against the new emir in 797.[33][34] By the end of the 8th century, the Umayyads had made Toledo the administrative center of theCentral March of Al-Andalus.[35] In 852, a new revolt broke out in Toledo. The Umayyad governor was held hostage to secure the return of Toledan hostages held in Córdoba. In reprisal for a prior attack by Toledans, EmirMuhammad I sent an army to attack them but was defeated. Toledo allied with KingOrdoño I of Asturias. They fought together at the Battle of Guadacelete but lost. Later in 857, the Toledans attackedTalavera but were again defeated. In 859, Muhammad I negotiated a truce with Toledo. Though locked in conflict with neighboring cities, the city became virtually independent for twenty years. Cordoban authorities re-asserted control over Toledo in 873, after the successful Umayyad siege on the city, which forced defenders to submit.[36][37][38] TheBanu Qasi gained nominal control of Toledo until 920. A new period of unruliness followed in the 920 and 930s,[39] until CaliphAbd-ar-Rahman III captured the city in 932 after an extensive siege.[40]
Territory controlled by the Taifa of Toledo circa 1037
The taifa, however, fell into political disarray, owing to the economic draining caused by theparias (tributes) imposed by theKingdom of León as well as territorial mutilations, and so a revolt erupted in 1079, which was followed by theAftasid ruler ofBadajoz taking control of the city.[44]
On 25 May 1085,Alfonso VI of León took Toledo and established direct personal control over the city from which he had been exacting tribute. Around that time, the city's demographics featured a heterogeneous composition, with Mozarabs, Muslims, and Jews, to which incoming Christians from northern Iberia and Frankish elements were added. Initially, therefore, differentfueros were simultaneously in force for each community.[45] After the Christian conquest, the city's Mozarab community grew by immigration from the Muslim south.[46]
Toledo preserved its status as a cultural centre. Atranslation centre was established in which books in Arabic or Hebrew would be translated into Castilian by Muslim and Jewish scholars, and from Castilian into Latin by Castilian scholars, thus letting long-lost knowledge spread through Christian Europe again. Under theRoman Catholic archdiocese of Toledo, multiple persecutions (633, 653, 693) and burnings at the stake of Jews (638) occurred; theKingdom of Toledo followed up on this tradition with forced conversions and mass murder (1368, 1391, 1449, 1486–1490) and rioting and bloodbath against the Jews of Toledo (1212).[47][48]
A major popular revolt erupted in 1449, with elements of tax mutiny, anti-Jewish and anti-converso sentiment, and appeals to the civic community, eventually expanding from an urban revolt to anti-seigneurial riots in countryside settlements outside the city.[49]
During the persecution of the Jews in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, members of the local Jewish community produced texts on their long history in Toledo.[citation needed]After the crushing of theRevolt of the Comuneros,Charles V's court was installed in Toledo, with the monarch choosing the city as his residence at least 15 times from 1525 on.[50] Charles granted the city a coat of arms.[50] From 1528 to 1561 the population increased from 31,930 to 56,270.[50] In 1561, during the first years of his sonPhilip II's reign, the royal court was moved toMadrid.
The archbishops of Toledo remained powerful brokers in the political and religious affairs of Spain for the rest of theAncien Régime,[51] also owning large amounts of seigneurial land across most of the southern half of theInner Plateau and some nearby territories.[52]
Republican militia women besieging the Alcázar, controlled by the Nationalist faction
The mass arrival of deported unrulyMoriscos fromGranada ('moriscos nuevos') in Toledo and its lands (6,000 arrived to the city only, at least temporarily)[53] in the wake of theAlpujarras rebellion posed a formidable logistic challenge, and the uneasy preexisting system of social relations between themoros viejos ('old Moors') and theOld Christians was disrupted.[54] By and large, Granadan new Moriscos were subject to xenophobic abuse and became stigmatised as bloodthirsty and sacrilegious.[55]
Opening of the railway in Toledo in June 1858
The city excelled insilk manufacturing during the early modern period. The silk industry reached a peak in the 16th century, entering a protracted decline in the later years of that century and ultimately disappearing by the turn of the 19th century.[56]
ThePeninsular War affected the city in a very negative way.[57] Over the 19th century, Toledo underwent a progressive change from a convent city to a bureaucratic city.[58] The city being quite impervious to external influence at the time, thebourgeoisie exerted a limited influence.[59]
Following the exclusion of Toledo from the railway to the Portuguese border in the 1850s, the construction of a rail connection from Castillejo to Toledo promoted by theMarquis of Salamanca was approved in June 1856.[60] The line was opened on 12 June 1858.[61] Tourism fostered by the arrival of rail contributed to the development of thehospitality industry in the late 19th century.[62] By the turn of the 20th century, Toledo's population stood at about 23,000.[63] The neighborhood ofSanta Bárbara came into existence after the arrival of rail.[64]
Following theJuly 1936 coup d'etat in Spain, the acting military commander in Toledo,José Moscardó, refused to provide weapons to Madrid and hid instead in theAlcázar with a garrison of about 1,000 rebels, food, ammunition and some hostages.[65] After 21 July, they became subject toan unsuccessful siege by forces loyal to the Republic during the early stages of theSpanish Civil War.[66] Leading rebel general (and soon-to-be dictator of Spain)Francisco Franco and hisArmy of Africa took a detour from their advance towards Madrid (which gave the Republicans time to build up the defenses in Madrid and receive early foreign support) and lifted the siege of the Alcázar in late September 1936.[67] The two months of resistance of the garrisoned rebel military would become a core symbol of the mythology built around theFrancoist regime and its ideology.[68]
By 1950, the population was around 40,243.[69] Urban planning vis-à-vis the development of the neighborhoods of Palomarejos andPolígono ensued in the second half of the 20th century.[69]
Toledo continues to be a major tourist destination, attracting visitors from around the world who come to see historic landmarks, such as the Toledo Cathedral, the Alcázar, and the city's many synagogues and mosques.[70]
Toledo hosts numerous cultural events and festivals, such as Semana Santa (Holy Week) processions and the Corpus Christi festival, which draw large crowds and celebrateCastilian Spanish religious and cultural traditions.[71]
Toledo has a typicalcold semi-arid climate (Köppen:BSk). Winters are cool, while summers are hot and dry. Precipitation is low and mainly concentrated in the period between mid-autumn and mid-spring. The highest temperature ever recorded in Toledo was 44.2 °C (111.6 °F) on 13 August 2021; the lowest was −13.4 °C (7.9 °F) on 12 January 2021.[72]
Climate data for Toledo, Spain, altitude 515 metres (1,690 feet) (1991–2020), extremes (1982–present)
The manufacture and selling of swords was affected by the decrease in tourism caused by theCOVID-19 pandemic.[78]
The metal-working industry has historically been Toledo's economic base, with a great tradition in the manufacturing of swords and knives and a significant production of razor blades, medical devices, and electrical products. Soap and toothpaste industries, flour milling, glass, and ceramics have also been important.[79]
The manufacture of swords in the city of Toledo goes back toRoman times, but it was underMoorish rule and during theReconquista that Toledo and its guild ofswordsmiths played a key role.[citation needed] Between the 15th and 17th centuries, the Toledo sword-making industry enjoyed a great boom, to the point whereToledo steel came to be regarded as the best in Europe. Swords and daggers were made by individual craftsmen, although the sword-makers guild oversaw their quality.[citation needed] In the late 17th and early 18th century, production began to decline, prompting the creation of the Royal Arms Factory in 1761 by order ofKing Charles III. The Royal Factory brought together all the sword-makers' guilds of the city and was located in the former mint. In 1777, recognizing the need to expand the space, Charles commissioned the architectSabatini to construct a new building on the outskirts of the city. This was the beginning of several phases of expansion. Its importance was such that it eventually developed into a city within the city of Toledo.[citation needed]
In the 20th century, the production of knives and swords for the army was reduced to cavalry weapons only, and, after the Spanish Civil War, to the supply of swords to the officers and NCOs of the various military units. Following the closure of the factory in the 1980s, the building was renovated to house the campus of the Technological University of Castilla–La Mancha in Toledo.[80] According to the Statistical Institute of Castilla–La Mancha, in 2007 the share of employment by sector was as follows: 86.5% of the population engaged in the services, 6.6% in construction, 5.4% in industry and 1.5% in agriculture and livestock.[81]
In the decade up to 2008, unemployment in absolute terms remained fairly stable in the city of Toledo, but in 2009 this figure increased significantly: nearly 62% higher than 2008, with the number of unemployed rising from 2,515 to 4,074 (figures at 31 March each year), according to the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla La Mancha.[82] Of this 62%, one-third of the increase took place in the first quarter.[83]
According to other statistics from the same source, almost half the unemployed in the city of Toledo (1,970 persons) are among those whose education does not go beyond the compulsory secondary level.[citation needed] However, there are groups whose level of studies is such that they have not been registered as unemployed, including those who have completed class 1 professional training, or those with virtually nonexistent unemployment rates (less than 0.1%), which is the case of the unemployed with high school degrees or professional expertise.[citation needed]
The largest group among the unemployed is those who have no qualifications (27.27%).[citation needed]
Toledo has a 25-member City Council, elected by closed lists every four years. The 2023 election saw a pact between the 9 members of thePeople's Party and the 4 members ofVox, allowing Carlos Velázquez of the PP to become mayor, a position which had been held by theSocialists since 2007.
The old city is located on a mountaintop with a 150-degree view, surrounded on three sides by a bend in theTagus River, and contains many historical sites, including theAlcázar, the cathedral (theprimate church of Spain), and the Zocodover, a central market place.
From the 4th century to the 16th century, about thirtysynods were held at Toledo. The earliest, directed againstPriscillian, was assembled in 400. At the synod of 589, the Visigothic kingReccared declared his conversion fromArianism toCatholicism; the synod of 633 decreed uniformity of Catholic liturgy throughout the Visigothic Kingdom and took stringent measures against baptized Jews who had relapsed into their former faith. Other councils forbade circumcision, Jewish rites, and observance of the Sabbath and festivals. Throughout the seventh century, Jews were flogged, executed, had their property confiscated, were subjected to ruinous taxes, forbidden to trade, and, at times, dragged to the baptismal font.[84] The council of 681 assured to thearchbishop of Toledo the primacy of Spain. AtGuadamur, very close to Toledo, theTreasure of Guarrazar was excavated in 1858, the best example ofVisigothic art in Spain.
As nearly one hundred early canons of Toledo found a place in theDecretum Gratiani, they exerted an important influence on the development ofecclesiastical law. The synod of 1565–1566 concerned itself with the execution of the decrees of theCouncil of Trent, and the last council held at Toledo, 1582–1583, was guided in detail byPhilip II.
In the 13th century, Toledo was a major cultural centre under the guidance ofAlfonso X, known as "El Sabio" ("the Wise") for his love of learning. TheToledo School of Translators, established under ArchbishopRaymond of Toledo, continued to bring vast stores of knowledge to Europe by rendering great academic and philosophical works in Arabic into Latin. ThePalacio de Galiana, built in the Mudéjar style, is one of the monuments remaining from that period.
TheCathedral of Toledo (Catedral de Toledo) was built between 1226 and 1493 and modeled afterBourges Cathedral, though it also combines some characteristics of the Mudéjar style. It is remarkable for its incorporation of light and features aBaroque altar calledEl Transparente, several storeys high, with fantastic figures of stucco, paintings, bronze castings, and several colors of marble, a masterpiece of medievalmixed media byNarciso Tomé. For a few minutes every day, a shaft of light shines through, from which this feature of the cathedral derives its name. The Mozarabic Chapel in the Toledo Cathedral still uses theMozarabic Rite and music.[85][86] Two notable bridges secured access to Toledo across the Tagus, theAlcántara bridge and the later builtSan Martín bridge.
Toledo was home toEl Greco for the latter part of his life, and is the subject of some of his most famous paintings, includingThe Burial of the Count of Orgaz, exhibited in the Church of Santo Tomé.
When Philip II moved theroyal court from Toledo toMadrid in 1561, the old city went into a slow decline from which it never recovered.
Toledo has been a traditional sword-making, steel-working centre since about 500 BCE, and came to the attention of Rome when used byHannibal in thePunic Wars. Soon, it became a standard source of weaponry forRoman legions.[87]
Today there is a significant trade, and many shops offer all kinds of swords to their customers, whether historical or modern swords used in films, as well as armor from the medieval period and other times, which are also exported to other countries.
Carcamusas (made of lean pork with seasonal vegetables) are considered a local specialty.[90]
Some of the local specialties include lamb roast or stew,cochifrito,alubias con perdiz (beans with partridge) andperdiz estofoda (partridge stew),carcamusa,migas,gachas manchegas, andtortilla a la magra. In addition, there are local versions of dishes from the nearby capital of Spain, Madrid, as is the case of thecocido toledano. Two of the city's most famous food products areManchego cheese andmarzipan, which has aProtected Geographical Indication (mazapán de Toledo).[91][92]
The Virgen del Valle pilgrimage is celebrated on May 1 at the Ermita de la Virgen del Valle, a popular spot for visitors.[citation needed] Holy Week, which has been declared of National Tourist Interest, is marked in spring with various processions (including several on Good Friday) and religious and cultural events.[citation needed] Thelocal feast of Corpus Christi [es] has held the status of celebration ofInternational Tourist Interest since 1980.[93] It was conventionally celebrated 60 days afterResurrection Sunday.[94] The celebration of Catholic feasts had its heyday during theBaroque, post-Trent period.[95] A processional cortege travels around two kilometres (1.2 miles) of streets and richly decorated awnings.[citation needed] The Virgen del Sagrario is celebrated on 15 August, featuring a procession inside the Cathedral and drinking water of the Virgin from jars.[citation needed]Labour Day celebrations begin on the night of April 30.
Posada de laSanta Hermandad, a type of militarypeacekeeping association of armed individuals, characteristic of municipal life in medieval Spain.
Castle of San Servando, a medieval castle near the banks of the Tagus River and the Infantry Academy.
TheGothicCathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo, dating from the thirteenth century, is the second biggest cathedral in Spain. Inside is the Baroque altarpiece El Transparente, created by Narciso Tomé.
Alcázar fortress (16th century), located in the highest part of town, overlooking the city. Since 2009 it has housed the collection of the Army Museum.
Iglesia de San Andrés, with its crypt containing 60mummies of infantes, dukes, nuns, and others, in a good state of preservation, open to visitors.
To mark the fourth centenary of the publication of the first part ofDon Quixote, the Council of Communities of Castilla–La Mancha designed a series of routes through the region crossing various points cited in the novel. Known as the Route of Don Quixote, two of the designated pathways, sections 1 and 8, are based in Toledo; those linking the Castillian city with La Mancha and the Toledo Mountains take advantage of the natural route that passes through the Cigarrales and heads to Cobisa, Burguillos of Toledo and Nambroca, where it takes the Camino Real of Sevilla to suddenly turn towards Mascaraque Almonacid de Toledo, near Mora in La Mancha.
Civic Centers in Toledo
The Mascaraque-Toledo stretch of the Route of Don Quixote has recently been officially included in the Camino de Levante branch of theCamino de Santiago, starting in Valencia and passing through Alicante and Cartagena. Both routes on this stretch have been declared European Cultural Routes.
Toledo has long been an obligatory stop in the centre of the peninsula. The roads leading to historic Toledo are still used and in many cases have provided the basis for existing roads leading into the city.
From Toledo, the N-400 links the city withCuenca viaOcaña andTarancón. It is currently in the process of transformation into the future A-40 Castilla–La Mancha motorway, which will link Maqueda (where it joins the Extremadura motorway), Toledo, Ocaña (where it attaches to the Motorway of Andalusia), Tarancón (where it connects with the Levante motorway), Cuenca andTeruel.
The old 401 National Road (Madrid-Toledo-Ciudad Real) was transformed in the late 1980s into the current A-42 as a result of splitting and removing the road that the various crossings included (Illescas, Yuncos, etc.).
The split path extends up to 7 kilometres (4 miles) south of Toledo, towards Ciudad Real, where it continues as a conventional road. At this point, the A-42 connects with the Highway of the Vineyard that goes as far as Tomelloso. There are plans to extend the A-42, by a toll road, to Ciudad Real andJaén.
In the early twenty-first century, the toll motorway AP-41 was built, in order to reducetraffic congestion between Toledo and Madrid.
Toledo is also part of the N-403, Toledo–Maqueda–Ávila–Adanero State Highway Network. Part of the route of this road will be replaced by that of the aforementioned Castilla–La Mancha Highway.
In addition to these roads, several regional and provincial roads link the city with the regions of Montes de Toledo, La Jara, and La Mancha.
In the mid-nineteenth century, Toledo was one of the first Spanish cities to receive rail service, with the arrival of the Madrid – Aranjuez line, which was inaugurated byIsabella II on June 12, 1858. The currentToledo Railway Station, (built inNeo-Mudéjar style), was opened on April 24, 1919.
The line suffered some technical issues and service disruptions but continued to serve as the main intercity route until the early twenty-first century. On July 2, 2003, the last conventional train service between the two capitals ended and work began on a high-speed link to Madrid, which entered service on November 15, 2005.[96] The new line reduced the travel time to Madrid to just under 30 minutes.
In the early 1960s, construction of the "Virgen de la Salud" Social Security Health Residence began. The original building still remains in use, although successive extensions were added (maternity, outpatient clinics, operating rooms, etc.) to the existing complex. The complex was also extended to move the clinic to a new nearby building, now converted into theSan Ildefonso Specialty Centre.
The devolution of healthcare responsibilities to the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla–La Mancha gave new impetus to the health infrastructure, demonstrated in 2007 when construction began on the new General Hospital of Toledo inSanta María de Benquerencia. The different parts of the relevant health centres were also provided.
The Toledo Hospital Complex also features the integrated Geriatric Hospital Virgen del Valle, a result of reform and modernization of the old tuberculosis hospital built in the mid-twentieth century. The centre is located outside the city, near the Parador Nacional de Turismo Conde de Orgaz.
The city also has several private health centers, including Hospital de las Tres Culturas and Clínica Nuestra Señora del Rosario.
Toledo suffered from a shortage of sports facilities.[citation needed] Much of this problem was resolved when the Central School of Physical Education of the Army moved its headquarters to the premises of the Infantry Academy.[citation needed] In the 1990s, the city council took over the old facilities of the military centre, which now include an athletics track, Olympic swimming pool and an indoor sports hall, numerous outdoor courts built in the area of the former runway, having been demolished, and the old gym complex pools (indoor and outdoor).[citation needed]
Besides these facilities, the city of Toledo has sports pavilions in the districts ofSanta María de Benquerencia,Santa Bárbara, San Antón (Complejo Deportivo), outdoor pools in Azucaica, Palomarejos, Santa María de Benquerencia, Santa Barbara and Santa Teresa and indoor swimming pools in the gardens of the Alcázar (old town), Santa María de Benquerencia and San Antonio.[citation needed]
Toledo has two basketball teams: CB CEI Toledo, with a long history of mixed success in both regional and national leagues (EBA) and has just[when?] been promoted to 1st Autonomic, and CB Polígono, whose male team was promoted to the EBA League for the 2009/10 season,[clarification needed] seven years after relegation.[citation needed] This club is based in theSanta María de Benquerencia district and has one of the largest youth systems in Castilla–La Mancha.
Toledo has been represented in athletics since 2 April 1979 by the Toledo Athletic Club, which is characterised mainly by its success in cross-country, winning a large number of medals in the Spanish championships, in addition to its (male and female) athletes who competed in the 1st division of the national track league in the late 1990s. Among the athletes who have passed through its lanes areJulio Rey, Roberto Parra, Chema Martinez and Julia Lobato.
Since the victory ofFederico Bahamontes, 'The Eagle of Toledo', in the1959 Tour de France, cycling has been one of the most popular sports in the city. At present,[when?] however, no school in Santa María de Benquerencia has a velodrome.[citation needed] Other leading professional cyclists from the city include Nemesio Jiménez, who competed at the1968 Mexico City Olympics, and Ángel de las Heras.
The volleyball club Voleibol Asociación Toledo plays in the National First Division, while the popular Toledo Rugby Club competes in the Madrid league system.[citation needed]
At the individual level, the swimmerJavier Noriega and the marathon runner Julio Rey competed in both2004 Athens Olympics and2008 Beijing Olympics. Rey, the current Spanish marathon record holder (2 hours, 6 minutes, and 52 seconds) announced his retirement in October 2009.[100]
Various local and provincial newspapers are published in the city. In addition, national newspapers such as the daily ABC publish unique local editions.[citation needed] Among the local newspapers are the subscription-based La Tribuna de Toledo and El Día de Toledo, as well as the free Global Castilla–La Mancha and Toledo News. The general information weekly magazinesEchoes and Here are also published.
There is also local media on television, radio, and the Internet. CMM TV, the regional public television, is headquartered in Toledo.[101] In addition, there are several local television stations: Canal Diocesano-Popular TV and Teletoledo.
As regards radio stations, there is Radio Toledo (Onda Cero), as well as COPE, Cadena SER, RNE, RCM, and Radio Aquí, and the local Onda Polígono and the diocesan station Radio Santa Maria. In digital and social media: Onda Toledo, Toledo Digital, and La Cerca.[citation needed]
^"Not only were its clerics still well enough equipped in intellectual terms to provide authoritative guidance on a wide range of ecclesiastical discipline and doctrine, but this was also actively sought."[30]
^Gerber, Jane S. (2021), Lieberman, Phillip I. (ed.),"The Jews of Muslim Spain",The Cambridge History of Judaism: Volume 5: Jews in the Medieval Islamic World, The Cambridge History of Judaism, vol. 5, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 166,doi:10.1017/9781139048873.009,ISBN978-0-521-51717-1, retrieved2025-05-29
^S. Katz,The Jews in the Visigothic Kingdoms of Spain and Gaul, (Cambridge 1937). Cited inPaul Johnson (writer),A History of the Jews, p. 177
^Beale-Rivaya, Yasmine (2018).A Companion to Medieval Toledo: Reconsidering the Canons. Brill Publishers. p. 100.ISBN9789004380516.
^F. Bosch, Lynette M. (2010).Art, Liturgy, and Legend in Renaissance Toledo: The Mendoza and the Iglesia Primada. Pennsylvania State University Press. p. 61.ISBN9780271043814.
^Ramirez, Francisca (2020-11-22)."15 años del AVE que modernizó a Toledo" [15 years of the high-speed rail that modernized Toledo].ABC (in Spanish). Toledo, Spain. Retrieved2023-06-22.
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