Today we have travelled from Madrid, through Toledo to Granada. It has taken much of the day, but very worth it. The really interesting part was Toledo, another World Heritage listed place, built high on a hill top, next to a river and from at protection point of view, pretty awesome!
Some where between 59 BC and 17 AD, the small fortified village came into being. It continued to develop and despite its great positioning, seems to have been taken over by every invading force. Good old religion seemed to play a big part in the development of the city as well. There are heaps of examples of Christian, Jewish, Gothic and Muslim buildings and churches have been built for each distinct group over the centuries. In one part of the old city, there is a series of arches made, that represent three very different building styles associated with different cultures.
Apparently there are a heap of churches within a very short space in Toledo, I would like to remember the figure, but I can't. The only thing I remember is being really surprised there were so many! Hence Holy Toledo????
When you walk about the place, you are actually walking on Medieval paths and steps and sitting in courtyards or avenues that date back over 1000 years. We just don't have this in NZ and I am fascinated by the ingenuity of design that can span bridges and build massive structures and arches and wells, but we don't have a solution for traffic congestion???
In Toledo, there is also the first site for steel forging. From this site, Spanish steel was developed, forged and spread throughout the world. We were taken to the site of a very old forge and could see how steel was heated and moulded using hammers etc. All their knives are made from one piece of steel and are sought out across the world.
So, along with the first makers of wine and the first makers of Olive Oil, we can now add first makers of steel to the list. Actually, I can kind of get this as they are slap bang in the way between the Middle East and Africa, so everyone had to come through their country to get somewhere else and in early times, I can imagine there was a huge amount of trade in produce and also in ideas. There was no sea involved until you get to Gibraltar, so it must have been a massive melting pot of ideas.
The roads, however, were not designed for modern day cars and modern day cranky drivers. So you can be wandering up a medieval street, channelling your inner peasant walking the uneven cobble stone, laid by generations of ......... folk.... and next thing, round the corner comes some Audi bastard driving way to fast and thinking he might be able to miss all the toes!!! The roads are not car worthy and you find your self oooozzzzing back into a space between the masonry, just to have the illusion of safe!!! There are no footpaths as the road was the footpath when it all came to be, but times change. One thing I can say is, I would hate to be a resident and have to put up with all the comings and goings of thousands of selfie and picture taking tourists!!!!! I saw one lady in our group taking a photo of washing hanging from a line. Is nothing sacred????????
Very cool though!!!! Totally different to young New Zealand and I wonder..... why can't we just get on with it? Is our history so different when we look at all the invasions and take overs and wars and battles that occurred throughout Europe. These people look at the different occupying forces as art forms left in infrastructure, not so us.
Okay, this post is getting into territory that is unsolvable ...... enough for tonight.
Some where between 59 BC and 17 AD, the small fortified village came into being. It continued to develop and despite its great positioning, seems to have been taken over by every invading force. Good old religion seemed to play a big part in the development of the city as well. There are heaps of examples of Christian, Jewish, Gothic and Muslim buildings and churches have been built for each distinct group over the centuries. In one part of the old city, there is a series of arches made, that represent three very different building styles associated with different cultures.
Apparently there are a heap of churches within a very short space in Toledo, I would like to remember the figure, but I can't. The only thing I remember is being really surprised there were so many! Hence Holy Toledo????
When you walk about the place, you are actually walking on Medieval paths and steps and sitting in courtyards or avenues that date back over 1000 years. We just don't have this in NZ and I am fascinated by the ingenuity of design that can span bridges and build massive structures and arches and wells, but we don't have a solution for traffic congestion???
In Toledo, there is also the first site for steel forging. From this site, Spanish steel was developed, forged and spread throughout the world. We were taken to the site of a very old forge and could see how steel was heated and moulded using hammers etc. All their knives are made from one piece of steel and are sought out across the world.
So, along with the first makers of wine and the first makers of Olive Oil, we can now add first makers of steel to the list. Actually, I can kind of get this as they are slap bang in the way between the Middle East and Africa, so everyone had to come through their country to get somewhere else and in early times, I can imagine there was a huge amount of trade in produce and also in ideas. There was no sea involved until you get to Gibraltar, so it must have been a massive melting pot of ideas.
The roads, however, were not designed for modern day cars and modern day cranky drivers. So you can be wandering up a medieval street, channelling your inner peasant walking the uneven cobble stone, laid by generations of ......... folk.... and next thing, round the corner comes some Audi bastard driving way to fast and thinking he might be able to miss all the toes!!! The roads are not car worthy and you find your self oooozzzzing back into a space between the masonry, just to have the illusion of safe!!! There are no footpaths as the road was the footpath when it all came to be, but times change. One thing I can say is, I would hate to be a resident and have to put up with all the comings and goings of thousands of selfie and picture taking tourists!!!!! I saw one lady in our group taking a photo of washing hanging from a line. Is nothing sacred????????
Very cool though!!!! Totally different to young New Zealand and I wonder..... why can't we just get on with it? Is our history so different when we look at all the invasions and take overs and wars and battles that occurred throughout Europe. These people look at the different occupying forces as art forms left in infrastructure, not so us.
Okay, this post is getting into territory that is unsolvable ...... enough for tonight.
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