Plaza de Zocodover

Plaza de Zocodover is the main square of Toledo, in the Castile-La Mancha region, the meeting point of the old city and the place where most visitors begin. It sits on the high ground of the old town, next to the steep street that climbs to the Alcázar, and a number of narrow lanes lead out of it to the cathedral, the Jewish Quarter and the other sights. The shape is an irregular triangle, with arcaded buildings around it, a clock tower at one corner and an arch, the Arco de la Sangre, leading down through the walls.

The name comes from Arabic. Zocodover derives from suq ad-dawabb, the market of beasts, and it recalls the time when this was where livestock and goods were traded under Muslim rule. The square kept its commercial role through the Middle Ages, when markets were held here, and it was also the setting for public events, from festivals to bullfights and, in darker periods, executions. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries it was a place of inns and merchants, and the writer Miguel de Cervantes knew the area well. He set parts of his novella La ilustre fregona in the lodging houses around it.

The square suffered damage during the Spanish Civil War, when the nearby Alcázar was besieged in 1936, and much of the surrounding architecture was rebuilt afterwards. Today it presents a mixed but harmonious face of arcades and balconies. The Alcazar of Toledo, a large fortress on the hill, overlooks the plaza from just above, though it is not in the middle of it, and the walk up takes a few minutes. Toledo is known as the city of three cultures, because Christians, Muslims and Jews lived side by side for centuries, and the architecture in the area still reflects Moorish, Christian and Jewish influences.

The square is lively at most hours. Cafes with outdoor tables fill the arcades, and street musicians and stalls add to the atmosphere. Many shops near the square sell marzipan, mazapán, the almond sweet for which Toledo is famous, and the small tourist train that tours the old town leaves from here. Escalators and buses connect the area with the lower part of the city and the station.

The plaza is a good place to start a walk, to pause for coffee or to arrange a meeting. The Cathedral of Toledo, the Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz and the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca are all within walking distance. The old town of Toledo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is hilly, so wear comfortable shoes.