Plaza de Zocodover

It has this square shaped irregular quadrilateral, and although it has no great architectural value it is the most popular in the city. It is not in vain that the main multitudinous social events are developed: manifestations, processions, verbenas, etc. It is the reflection of the evolution of Toledo. Historically there is an open space in this same place since Muslim times, although possibly already existed since La Romana. The purpose of such a space was to facilitate ample ground to be able to fight with the enemy if it had previously traversed the wall of Alficén, whose door, called Bab Al-Jayl (Gate of the horses), was located where today the arch of the Blood . We can still see in the back of this arch the vestiges of its Arab era.

Juan de Herrera began in 1596 a total reform of the square to be destroyed in large part by a devastating fire, a project that was interrupted by the opposition of the Cabildo cathedral. In 1936, as a result of the bombardments suffered by neighboring Alcazar during the Civil War, the square was reduced to rubble, so it was rebuilt in 1945 with the appearance it presents today.

The name of Zocodover comes from the Arabic word Suq Al Dawwab (Market of the beasts), when used this square as a souk where it was treated with cattle. During the Middle Ages the public executions of criminals were held here and condemned by the Inquisition, a function that was transferred outside the walls when it was extremely unpleasant. Until the beginning of the nineteenth century we know the use in the square of a utensil called Clavicote, this being similar to a cage where they exposed the bodies of the drowned in the river and the homeless without means to be buried. Together with them, a series of brushes were deposited so that the charitable citizens contribute to pay their burial.

Today it is the neuralgic center of the Historic centre of Toledo, and around it crowd the most important monuments and the day to day of the city.

Source: Jesús-José Sardinia Vozmediano