Corpus Christi in Toledo is the ideal occasion to visit the City of Three Cultures, a World Heritage Site.
1. Peñascosa pesadumbre. Glory of Spain and light of its cities”, Toledo
This is how Cervantes defined it. And if there is one city in Spain where we can appreciate and learn the legacy of our history, it is Toledo, the City of the Three Cultures. Toletum’ in Roman times, it became the capital of the Spanish Empire in the time of Charles V. Capital of Castilla-La Mancha, since 1986 it has held the title of UNESCO World Heritage City. Its streets are a Christian, Muslim and Jewish melting pot with an incalculable wealth of history and art, with jewels such as the Primate Cathedral, the Bab-al-Mardum mosque and the synagogue of Samuel Levi, among many others, and the birthplace of artists such as El Greco.
You don’t know Spain well without having visited Toledo.
2. The feast of Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Toledo’s main festival, is celebrated every year 60 days after Easter Sunday. Since the 14th century and out of devotion to the Consecrated Host, the city turns out in procession through the streets adorned with awnings, bouquets of flowers, lanterns, flags, shawls… Brotherhoods, public and private corporations, brotherhoods, institutions, various musical bands and devotees from every corner make up the multitudinous parade that follows the monstrance created by the goldsmith Enrique Arfe under the orders of Cardinal Cisneros and which protects the Sacred Form.
3. A bullring with more than 150 years of history
Historically, Toledo has always been the scene of grandiose bullfighting festivals to commemorate significant events held in the city’s bullrings, until 1865, when a commission was set up to build a bullring. Designed by Francisco Jareño, the bullring was inaugurated in August 1866 with cattle belonging to Vicente Martínez and Félix Gómez for the bullfighters Cayetano Sanz and El Tato.
On the occasion of Corpus Christi, a bullfighting festival is always held at the highest level, with top figures and luxury bulls. This year it will take place on Thursday 20th June with a ‘monster’ bullfight, that is to say, eight bulls. Morante de la Puebla, El Juli, José María Manzanares and local bullfighter Álvaro Lorenzo will fight a bullfight from Alcurrucén.
