Catedral de Toledo

Toledo's cathedral dominates the skyline, reflecting the city's historical significance as the heart of Catholic Spain.

From the earliest days of the Visigothic occupation, the current site of the cathedral has been a centre of worship. During Muslim rule, it contained Toledo's central mosque, destroyed in 1085. Dating from the 13th century and essentially a Gothic structure, the cathedral is nevertheless a melting pot of styles, including Mudéjar and the Spanish Renaissance.

The main nave is dominated by the coro (choir stalls), a feast of sculpture and carved wooden stalls. The 15th-century lower tier depicts the conquest of Granada.

Opposite is the Capilla Mayor, an extravagant work of art dating back to 1498. The masterpiece is the retablo (altarpiece) in Flemish Gothic style, depicting scenes from the lives of Christ and the Virgin Mary. The oldest of the cathedral's magnificent stained-glass pieces is the rose window above the Puerta del Reloj. Behind the main altar lies a mesmerising piece of 18th-century churrigueresco (lavish Baroque ornamentation), the Transparente, which also provides welcome light.

Other highlights include the gilded Capilla de Reyes Nuevos, the Capilla de la Torre and the sacristía (sacristy). The last contains a small gallery with paintings by such masters as El Greco, Zurbarán, Titian, Rubens and Velázquez, while the Capilla de Reyes Nuevos houses the extraordinary Custodia de Arfe, by the celebrated goldsmith Enrique de Arfe. With 18kg of pure gold and 183kg of silver, this 16th-century religious float bristles with some 260 statuettes. Its big day out is the Feast of Corpus Christi, when it is paraded around Toledo's streets.

The sala capitular (chapter house) features a remarkable 500-year-old artesonado (wooden Mudéjar ceiling) and Renaissance religious murals.