Santiago del Arrabal Church

Yes, another church, sorry! As you’ve probably noticed, there’s lots of them in Toledo. This one is called Iglesia de Santiago del Arrabal, also known as Saint James of the Suburbs. Like many of its counterparts, it’s built in a Mudéjar style and—again, unsurprisingly—was originally a mosque before being converted into a church. Notice, for example, how the bell tower is separate from the main building. That’s likely because it was originally the mosque’s minaret, the tower from which the call to prayer was played. A bell was later added when this church was established in the 13th century. Historians believe that a first church was constructed right after the Christian reconquest of Toledo, in the 11th century, but it eventually fell into ruin—probably due to the long siege that impacted the city for nearly two centuries. It was only near 1246 that the building was reconstructed, thanks to the skill and craftsmanship of Mudéjar artisans. Take a moment to admire the beautiful carved doorways, with their signature horseshoe-shaped arches displayed on the façades. Santiago del Arrabal is considered one of the most important Mudéjar churches in all of Toledo, so it’s definitely worth a closer look. Step inside if you can—you’ll find a 14th-century pulpit with plaster Mudéjar decorations, several tombstones, and a gorgeous Plateresque altarpiece from the 16th century. If you don’t know what Plateresque is, it’s a Spanish architectural style that marked the transition between the Gothic and Renaissance periods. Think of lots of gold carvings and goldsmithing, all of it coming from the New World, reflecting both the artistic peak of the time and the excessive use of New World gold.