Toledo is much more than a Cathedral, and we had a bit of a whirlwind tour during our day there. These pictures were taken at the beautiful Monasterio de San Juan de Los Reyes, which Ferdinand and Isabella built for their entombment. For a reason I have not yet learned, they were subsequently buried elsewhere, but this monastery remains both a place of prayer and a beautiful example of the impact of Moorish design elements in Spanish architecture. Above you have the central courtyard of the Monastery, and if you look very closely, you can even see me in the bottom right corner!
The Moors believed firmly in decorating every possible surface, and as the Muslim religion prohibits depictions of animal or human forms, Arabic decoration thus centers on intricate geometrical designs, and this influence is well evidenced through much of Spain. As you see here, even the ceilings are decorated!
This Moor-influenced style of decoration, Mudejar, was adapted by the Spanish as seen above... the lion in the center of the decoration is the lion of a Spanish royal family.
The hallway surrounding the main courtyard, with its ceiling richly decorated.
Some random building in Toledo... but again, I must comment... how cool is my camera!!!
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