Publication Date
The first half of the thirteenth century AD. Renaissance increases between 1550 and 1556
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Record ID
monument;ISL;es;Mon01;27;ar
Library Location
Toledo, Spain
Date
The first half of the thirteenth century AD. Renaissance increases between 1550 and 1556
Notes
Since the Islamic period, Toledo, the city of the three religions, had an independent neighborhood surrounded by its own wall. It was the city of the Jews, called during the Lower Middle Ages the large group of Jewish diaspora. It is one of the most famous groups of Castile, which remained intact until the expulsion in 1492. Documentary sources indicate the presence of a sale in Toledo; It is possible that this was one of them, dedicated to a Christian church in 1401 under the name of Santa Maria la Blanca, due to the sculpted image of the White Virgin inside the cathedral. Its artistic lines, which present similarities with Almohad works, date back to the first half of the thirteenth century. The debate has raged for a long time to determine whether it belongs to Almohad or Mudéjar art, but current criticism favors the second opinion. Amador de los Ríos hypothesized that they could have been built during the second half of the twelfth century, and in all cases before 1205, which represents the renewal of the stucco decorations around 1275, the date on which the Las Huelgas Monastery was in the process of completing some stucco decorations with which it shares important similarities. The exterior is simple, with smooth facades; While the interior exudes an influential oriental atmosphere. The dimensions are misleading; The length and width, which range respectively between 26 and 28 metres, and between 19 and 23 metres, and which are divided into five parallel naves separated by a group of 32 octagonal columns, lead to an illusory feeling of grandeur. The architectural arrangement is that of an old church, with a slightly oblique rectangular design; The tiles are separated by horseshoe arches, reminiscent of the finest Islamic tradition. The capitals are somewhat low, made of plaster, and decorated with huge conifers, their strong ocher color contrasting with the white of the column trunks and walls. These capitals are not entirely original, as was revealed during a recent restoration. Surrounded by arches and topped with delicate decoration covering the wall facades, they harmoniously combine floral and geometric shapes, among which stand out are medallions decorated with different types of interlacing. According to Chikelius (see references), the frieze running above the arches and along the naves was not only a decoration on the insulation walls, but also a means of concealing cavities that were closed with reeds and plaster, or a brick partition. The pledge of allegiance was longer on the western side; The wall, which today plays the role of a facade, is nothing but the old women's corridor, and its openings have been blocked. The two pillars that protrude on the façade along the middle nave show the beginning of the arch that used to pass over the portico. The slabs of descending heights also provide simple beamed and tied wood ceilings; It was recently built but is undoubtedly a copy of the ancient ceilings. Between 1550 and 1556, a three-chapel apse was combined with an interior paneling in a Renaissance style, attributed to Alonzo de Covarrubias.
Sample Text
Ángela Franco “Sale of Santa Maria la Blanca” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;es;Mon01;27;ar
