Toledo, Spain's leading Catholic city, is dominated by a wonderful cathedral. Streets are named for saints and museums are chock-a-block with religious paintings. So you can imagine my surprise when I read that the expression "Holy Toledo" probably had its roots in the Jewish community.
Life for a Jew has never been a walk in the park but Toledo had a thriving Jewish community nearly from its beginning, even as Jews througout Europe were being persecuted. Toledo's Jews were educated, cultured and respected so when Sephardic Jews from Spain immigrated to America Toledo was, to them, the holiest place in Europe. Holy Toledo!
Choir carvings
Toledo is holy to Catholics, too. The Cathedral, which required 250 years to build is mostly Gothic with a touch of Renaissance, some Baroque and a bit of Neoclassical architecture thrown in for good measure. Its altar is one of the finest in Spain, bursting with more art than the senses can handle. And the carvings alone in the choir can keep you smiling for a good while with their irreverence.
