Alcazar of the Historic City of Toledo

I was admiring the view from the hillside that I totally forgot about the walking tour I was doing. I think by this time I had already given up on the walking tour. It was quite exhausting since it was unexpectedly hot that day. Unexpected since I was still expecting that the weather was spring like. I had no idea that spring weather was like this in Spain. Yes, I did check the weather prior to coming here and the highest temperature was in the low twenties. I didn’t have much choice, the cold temperature that morning forced me to bring my winter jacket, now I can’t wear it and I am sweating because of the heat. What I noticed was that the air itself wasn’t really hot, however the clear spring day made the sun feel very hot. I think I am beginning to understand what they meant by the heat here in Europe is “different”.

Anyway, after the viewpoint, the next spot on the tour was one of the most prominent structures in the entire town. It was the Alcazar or the castle. I remember seeing the Alcazar when I was still making my way to the town. The structure is surprisingly old, with its roots dating back the time of the Romans. It was said to be used as a palace by the Romans in the 3rd century. The Spanish kings have since refurbished the Alcazar over the years. It featured prominently in the Spanish civil war and it is now a museum. It is an imposing building and probably justifiably so since it was a palace and a fortress. I didn’t manage to get it the palace as I didn’t want to go in yet another historical museum to events which I was not familiar with. I was content to take photos from the outside, although it is best take photos of the Alcazar from far away.

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