It is a building of military character that was built following gothic style by order of King Alfonso XI.
Here the Catholic Kings resided approximately 8 years, during the period of the Spanish Reconquest.
It was here where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella received Columbus prior to his voyage to the Americas.
Its elegant gardens and its contents are magnificent and priceless, with Roman mosaics and sarcophaguses of the 2nd and 3rd centuries. It also offers an excellent view of the river and the Roman Bridge that crosses the Guadalquivir River. As part of the complex, it has several towers with lodgings that are covered with pointed arches, such as the Tower of the Homage or the Lions’ Tower facing the garden of the Martyred Saints.
It also maintains the baths, of the caliph tradition, located under the Mosaics’ Hall, which nowadays is
used to celebrate weddings.
http://www.castles.org/castles/Europe/Western_Europe/Spain/spain.htm
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[These papers were discovered by the Tte. Gral. Fernando Frank Esquivias among the papers of his late wife Marichu Moscardó, daughter of the hero of the Palace]
Palace of Toledo, 25 of 1936 July
Maria of my soul, children of my soul: I write goodbye to all of you in case this situation does not have favorable
solution. You will already hear the bombing of the Palace, with pieces of artillery of all the calibers, air strikes
and, in addition, the armored cars and tanks that have come from Madrid; then in spite of all that, they cannot
nor will they be able take the Palace violently; it will require much bravery to assault it with the class of people
inside. There are enormous destructions, but they have not breached more than at the front door, that later has
been secured perfectly. They will try to make us surrender by withdrawing food and demoralization and will not
succeed because we will remove food from underneath the stones and the morale is very well even among the women,
because they know if they will surrender they will face death nonetheless. I do not mean to cause bitterness to
you by saying that our Luis is held in custody by their people. You will already know that the head of their army
had called me by telephone today and said to me that if in the space of ten minutes we did not surrender, they
will shoot Luis, and in case I doubted it, made him come to the telephone and spoke with me to convince to me that
he was Luis. Forgive me that I have to tell you, my son of my soul, and he spoke to me with calm voice, and I did
not do more than to say to him that he entrust his soul to God and cry out in a loud voice, "Viva España!.¨
I hope that they are not so cruel that they want to take revenge in the person of my son, completely innocent in
this cause, and does not pose any threat but of this indicidual I cannot put my trust. ... I give thanks that
God gives me the fortitude to bear this tragedy ... This seems like a dream, rather a nightmare, thinking that
only in the last 8 or 10 days we were a happy family, and today we do not know everybody is, and we even if they
are alive. I have confidence in God and in His hands I have entrusted the solution, that gives lifeto you all
and that you find a way decent to live if the communist revolution prevails, and nothing I say of myself, because
it is not possible that I will be spared. I cannot think that I am not going to see you anymore ... I ask your
pardon and forgiveness, Maria, for my lack of understanding sometimes, because recognizing that you are the best
and most virtuous woman, I have not come to acknowledge and consider its true value and everything that bonds ...
Nevertheless, you pardoned me, although I solemnly say that never I stipped loving you .... Of our children, what
is there that I can say to you and they, if all you make it through this tragic situation, try to adapt to the
circumstances but without never stopping being religious and honest, even though you will have to be in seclusion.
I have the security that the boys will know to break through, because they are intelligent and honest ... I am
proud of them. Pepe and Miguel! What pain! Of my Luis, son of my soul, after his triumph in the opposition, my
son is a true saint. And my Marichu, daughter of my heart! What so bitter times is going to have to live. She,
my joy and my pride, so good and virtuous as you, so beautiful ... believing that our children and you are so
good and exemplary and form a so complete family that God has arranged that we meet in another higher place to
enjoy our happiness where nothing can separate us ever again. I have absolute faith in it. Spain cannot fall
under the command of the Marxism; we are Catholics of tradition and that can never be taken away. God wants and
desires that we all enjoy La Paz. I do not know nor how to write, I have the a little dull senses and in the middle
of as much anguish and preoccupation by you, and of fear before the future, I am or physically, better of which
it could appear to me; this regime of average food doess me very well. Good bye Maria, good bye Pepe, Miguel, Luis,
Marichu, Care it to me, I give a kiss you with all my soul, my life and my heart and always and at any moment I
think about you, that you are my love and my illusion. Good bye. Your Pepe. I have made a spiritual communion
and I have prepared myself well although there is no priest here.