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62-623: The Wadi Qelt Synagogue is claimed to be a former ancient Jewish synagogue and archeological site , located in Wadi Qelt , outside Jericho , in the West Bank , in the State of Palestine . The site is part of the royal winter palace complex built by the Hasmoneans in the warm desert oasis of Jericho, west of the town. According to Ehud Netzer , the excavator and archaeologist of

124-489: A building among the Hasmonean palatial complex near Wadi Qelt as a synagogue, the matter is far from conclusive. In fact, few scholars seriously consider this suggestion in discussions of Second Temple period synagogues, though even fewer have openly challenged the identification in print. Historic synagogues Historic synagogues include synagogues that date back to ancient times and synagogues that represent

186-555: A cultural centre. A tag-team translation centre was established in which books in Arabic or Hebrew would be translated into Castilian by Muslim and Jewish scholars, and from Castilian into Latin by Castilian scholars, thus letting long-lost knowledge spread through Christian Europe again. Under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toledo , multiple persecutions (633, 653, 693) and stake burnings of Jews (638) occurred;

248-666: A few minutes every day, a shaft of light shines through, from which this feature of the cathedral derives its name. The Mozarabic Chapel in the Toledo Cathedral still uses the Mozarabic Rite and music. Two notable bridges secured access to Toledo across the Tagus, the Alcántara bridge and the later built San Martín bridge . The Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes is a Franciscan monastery , built 1477–1504, in

310-441: A long history in the production of bladed weapons , which are now common souvenirs of the city. Toledo was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 for its extensive monumental and cultural heritage. As of 2015 , the municipality had a population of 83,226. The municipality has an area of 232.1 km (89.6 sq mi). The town was granted arms in the 16th century, which by special royal privilege were based on

372-568: A municipal water supply and storage system were constructed in Toletum. The Roman circus in Toledo was one of the largest in Hispania . The circus could hold up to 15,000 spectators. A fragmentary stone inscription records circus games paid for by a citizen of unknown name to celebrate his achieving the sevirate, a kind of priesthood conferring high status. Games were held in the circus late into

434-455: A mélange of oral narratives is that first synagogues in Kerala were not built until the medieval period. Various Kerala Jews and the scholars who have studied the community believe that the earliest synagogues in the region date to the early 11th century. According to a narrative, a Kerala Jew by the name of Joseph Rabban who accepted on behalf of his community copper plates granting the local Jews

496-586: A poet from Toledo, wrote verses against the Umayyads, helping to inspire a revolt in the city against the new emir in 797. By the end of the 8th century, the Umayyads had made Toledo the administrative center of the Central March of Al-Andalus. In 852, a new revolt broke out in Toledo. The Umayyad governor was held hostage in order to secure the return of Toledan hostages held in Córdoba. In reprisal for

558-720: A position which had been held by the Socialists since 2007. The old city is located on a mountaintop with a 150-degree view, surrounded on three sides by a bend in the Tagus River , and contains many historical sites, including the Alcázar , the cathedral (the primate church of Spain), and the Zocodover, a central market place. From the 4th century to the 16th century, about thirty synods were held at Toledo. The earliest, directed against Priscillian , assembled in 400. At

620-619: A prior attack by Toledans, emir Muhammad I sent an army to attack them, but was defeated. Toledo forged an alliance with King Ordoño I of Asturias. They fought together at the Battle of Guadacelete but lost. Later in 857, the Toledans attacked Talavera but were again defeated. In 859, Muhammad I negotiated a truce with Toledo. The city became virtually independent for twenty years, though locked in conflict with neighboring cities. Cordobese authorities re-asserted control over Toledo in 873, after

682-478: A rectangular main hall measuring 16 by 11 m (53 by 37 ft). The hall was bordered by a colonnade, the platform of which was nearly two feet above the floor of the nave. This provided seating for nearly 70 people. In the northeastern corner, Netzer found a niche that may have served as a Torah Ark . A lower compartment, mostly intact, is thought to have possibly functioned as a genizah or storage compartment where old or unused scrolls were stored. Adjacent to

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744-559: A remarkable combination of Gothic-Spanish-Flemish style with Mudéjar ornamentation. Toledo was home to El Greco for the latter part of his life, and is the subject of some of his most famous paintings, including The Burial of the Count of Orgaz , exhibited in the Church of Santo Tomé. When Philip II moved the royal court from Toledo to Madrid in 1561, the old city went into a slow decline from which it never recovered. Toledo has been

806-629: A set of privileges by the Hindu King Bhaskara Ravi Varman was also given wood by his Highness for the erection of a synagogue around 1000. While no physical evidence of this and any other similar period building survives, study of the literature, Jewish folksongs, and narratives supports the notion that synagogues likely stood in Malabar Coast towns, places now within the modern-day State of Kerala, from this epoch. A portion of these medieval-period buildings perished when

868-533: A traditional sword-making, steel-working centre since about 500 BCE, and came to the attention of Rome when used by Hannibal in the Punic Wars . Soon, it became a standard source of weaponry for Roman legions . Toledo steel was famed for its very high quality alloy , whereas Damascene steel , a competitor from the Middle Ages on, was also famed for a specific metal-working technique. Today there

930-458: Is a significant trade, and many shops offer all kinds of swords to their customers, whether historical or modern swords used in films, as well as armor from the medieval period and other times, which are also exported to other countries. Some of the local specialties include lamb roast or stew, cochifrito , alubias con perdiz (beans with partridge) and perdiz estofoda (partridge stew), carcamusa , migas , gachas manchegas , and tortilla

992-492: Is low and mainly concentrated in the period between mid-autumn and mid-spring. The highest temperature ever recorded in Toledo was 44.2 °C (111.6 °F) on 13 August 2021; the lowest was −13.4 °C (7.9 °F) on 12 January 2021. The metal-working industry has historically been Toledo's economic base, with a great tradition in the manufacturing of swords and knives and a significant production of razor blades, medical devices and electrical products. ( The Toledo Blade ,

1054-477: Is the Delos Synagogue , a possibly Samaritan synagogue that dates from at 150 to 128 BC, or earlier, and is located on the island of Delos , Greece . However, it is uncertain if the building is actually a synagogue and that designation is generally considered untenable. The excavated Jericho synagogue has been cited as the oldest mainstream Jewish synagogue in the world, although identification of

1116-507: Is the case of the unemployed with high school degrees or professional expertise. The largest group among the unemployed is those who have no qualifications (27.27%). Toledo has a 25-member City Council, elected by closed lists every four years. The 2023 election saw a pact between the 9 members of the People's Party and the 4 members of Vox , allowing Carlos Velázquez of the PP to become mayor,

1178-451: The Church of San Sebastián dating from before the expulsion, still maintained in good condition. Among Ladino -speaking Sephardi Jews , in their various diasporas, the family name Toledano is still prevalent, indicating ancestry from the city (the name is also attested among non-Jews in various Spanish-speaking countries ). In the 13th century, Toledo was a major cultural centre under

1240-544: The Kingdom of Toledo followed up on this tradition with forced conversions and mass murder (1368, 1391, 1449, 1486–1490) and rioting and bloodbath against the Jews of Toledo (1212). A major popular revolt erupted in 1449, with elements of tax mutiny, anti-Jewish and anti- converso sentiment, and appeals to the civic community, eventually expanding from an urban revolt to anti-seigneurial riots in countryside settlements outside

1302-831: The Old Synagogue in Erfurt , Germany, which was built c.  1100 and the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca in Toledo, Spain , which was built in 1190. However, neither has been used as a synagogue for centuries. The oldest active synagogue in Europe is the Old New Synagogue of Prague in the Czech Republic , built in the 1270s. The Ben Ezra Synagogue of Cairo is the longest-serving synagogue in

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1364-645: The Tagus in central Iberia , nestled in a bend of the river. It is known as the "City of the Three Cultures" for the cultural influences of Christians , Muslims , and Jews throughout its history. It was the capital, from 542 to 725 CE, of the Visigothic kingdom and was the venue for the Councils of Toledo . The city, seat of a powerful archdiocese for much of its history, has a Gothic Cathedral , and

1426-519: The coat of arms of the King of Spain . Toledo ( Latin : Toletum ) is described by the Roman historian Livy (ca. 59 BCE – 17 CE) as urbs parva, sed loco munita ("a small city, but fortified by location"). Roman general Marcus Fulvius Nobilior fought a battle near the city in 193 BCE against a confederation of Celtic tribes, defeating them and capturing a king called Hilermus. At that time, Toletum

1488-508: The de facto capital of the autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha , hosting the seat of the Cortes of Castilla–La Mancha (the regional legislature) and the presidency of the regional government (the executive). Toledo continues to be a major tourist destination, attracting visitors from around the world who come to see historic landmarks, such as the Toledo Cathedral, the Alcázar, and

1550-537: The 15th and 17th centuries, the Toledo sword-making industry enjoyed a great boom, to the point where Toledo steel came to be regarded as the best in Europe. Swords and daggers were made by individual craftsmen, although the sword-makers guild oversaw their quality. In the late 17th and early 18th century, production began to decline, prompting the creation of the Royal Arms Factory in 1761 by order of King Charles III . The Royal Factory brought together all

1612-427: The 4th and early 5th centuries, an indication of active city life and ongoing patronage by wealthy elites. Toledo started to gain importance in late antiquity. There are indications that large private houses ( domus ) within the city walls were enlarged, while several large villas were built north of the city through the 3rd and 4th centuries. Church councils were held in Toledo in the years 400 and 527 to discuss

1674-524: The American newspaper in Toledo's Ohio namesake city, is named in honor of the sword-making tradition.) Soap and toothpaste industries, flour milling, glass and ceramics have also been important. The manufacture of swords in the city of Toledo goes back to Roman times, but it was under Moorish rule and during the Reconquista that Toledo and its guild of swordsmiths played a key role. Between

1736-628: The Junta de Comunidades de Castilla La Mancha. Of this 62%, one third of the increase took place in the first quarter. According to other statistics from the same source, almost half the unemployed in the city of Toledo (1,970 persons) are among those whose education does not go beyond the compulsory secondary level. However, there are groups whose level of studies is such that they have not been registered as unemployed, including those who have completed class 1 professional training, or those with virtually nonexistent unemployment rates (less than 0.1%), which

1798-633: The Kerala Jews had to leave them behind under the threat of persecution by the Moors and the Portuguese or as a result of natural disasters. The balance was rebuilt as a consequence of naturally occurring or intentionally set fires, modernization efforts, or assorted other variables. Other ancient post-70 AD synagogues are: Toledo, Spain Toledo is primarily located on the right (north) bank of

1860-642: The Republic during the early stages of the Spanish Civil War . Leading rebel general (and soon-to-be " caudillo ") Francisco Franco and his Army of Africa took a detour from their advance towards Madrid (which gave the Republicans time to build up the defenses in Madrid and receive early foreign support) and lifted the siege of the Alcázar in late September 1936. The two months of resistance of

1922-688: The Visigothic nobles, destroying much of the existing power structure. Following the Umayyad conquest, invaders were ethnically diverse, and available evidence suggests that in the area of Toledo (locally known as Ṭulayṭulah under Islamic rule), Berber settlement predominated over Arab . In 742, the Berbers in Al-Andalus rebelled against the Arab Umayyad governors. They took control of

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1984-645: The army was reduced to cavalry weapons only, and, after the Spanish Civil War, to the supply of swords to the officers and NCOs of the various military units. Following the closure of the factory in the 1980s, the building was renovated to house the campus of the Technological University of Castilla–La Mancha in Toledo. According to the Statistical Institute of Castilla–La Mancha, in 2007 the share of employment by sector

2046-623: The baptismal font. The council of 681 assured to the archbishop of Toledo the primacy of Spain. At Guadamur , very close to Toledo, the Treasure of Guarrazar was excavated in 1858, the best example of Visigothic art in Spain. As nearly one hundred early canons of Toledo found a place in the Decretum Gratiani , they exerted an important influence on the development of ecclesiastical law . The synod of 1565–1566 concerned itself with

2108-553: The city only, at least temporarily) in the wake of the Alpujarras rebellion posed a formidable logistic challenge, and the uneasy preexisting system of social relations between the moros viejos ('old Moors') and the Old Christians was disrupted. By and large, Granadan new Moriscos were subject to xenophobic abuse and became stigmatised as bloodthirsty and sacrilegious. The city excelled in silk manufacturing during

2170-517: The city's demographics featured a heterogeneous composition, with Mozarabs, Muslims and Jews, to which incoming Christians from northern Iberia and Frankish elements were added. Initially, therefore, different fueros were simultaneously in force for each community. After the Christian conquest, the city's Mozarab community grew by immigration from the Muslim south. Toledo preserved its status as

2232-529: The city. During the persecution of the Jews in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, members of the local Jewish community produced texts on their long history in Toledo. After the crushing of the Revolt of the Comuneros , Charles V 's court was installed in Toledo, with the monarch choosing the city as his residence at least 15 times from 1525 on. Charles granted the city a coat of arms. From 1528 to 1561

2294-466: The conflict with Priscillianism . In 546 (or possibly earlier), Visigoth rulers installed the capital of their kingdom in Toledo. King Theudis was in Toledo in 546, where he promulgated the only law of which records remain from the period, known from a single manuscript. Throughout the 7th century, a series of further church councils—the so-called Councils of Toledo —attempted to reconcile differing theological views and enacted anti-Jewish laws. By

2356-494: The earliest Jewish presence in cities around the world. Some synagogues were destroyed and rebuilt several times on the same site. Others were converted into churches and mosques or used for other purposes. Evidence of synagogues from the 3rd century BC was discovered on Elephantine island . The findings consist of two synagogue dedication inscription stones and a reference to a synagogue in a papyrus letter dated to 218 BC. The oldest synagogue building uncovered by archaeologists

2418-444: The early modern period. The silk industry reached a peak in the 16th century, entering a protracted decline in the later years of that century and ultimately disappearing by the turn of the 19th century. The Peninsular War affected the city in a very negative way. Over the course of the 19th century, Toledo underwent a progressive change from convent city to bureaucratic city. The city being quite impervious to external influence at

2480-461: The economic draining caused by the parias (tributes) imposed by the Kingdom of León as well as territorial mutilations, and so a revolt erupted in 1079, which was followed by the Aftasid ruler of Badajoz taking control of the city. On 25 May 1085, Alfonso VI of León took Toledo and established direct personal control over the city from which he had been exacting tribute. Around that time,

2542-529: The eleventh through the 13th centuries perished long ago as a consequence of natural disasters, enemy attacks, or the abandonment of buildings when congregations shifted. These extant synagogues, though altered over time, include not only the oldest found on the Indian subcontinent but in the British Commonwealth. The consensus among historians based on a compilation of limited recorded history and

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2604-862: The end of the 7th century, the bishop of Toledo was the leader of all other bishops in Hispania, a situation unusual in Europe. The city was also unmatched as a symbolic center of monarchy. When internal divisions developed under the Visigothic nobles, Tariq bin Ziyad captured Toledo in 711 or 712 on behalf of the Umayyad Caliphate of Damascus as part of the Islamic conquest of the Iberian Peninsula . Tariq's superior, Governor Musa, disembarked in Cádiz and proceeded to Toledo, where he executed

2666-530: The execution of the decrees of the Council of Trent , and the last council held at Toledo, 1582–1583, was guided in detail by Philip II . Toledo had large communities of Muslims and Jews until they were expelled from Spain in 1492 (Jews) and 1502 ( Mudéjars ). Today's city contains the religious monuments the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca , the Synagogue of El Tránsito , the Mosque of Cristo de la Luz and

2728-561: The garrisoned rebel military would become a core symbol of the mythology built around the Francoist regime and its ideology. In October 1940, Heinrich Himmler , leading Nazi and Chief of German Police, visited Spain on the invitation extended by Director General of Security José Finat y Escrivá de Romaní . The main purpose of the visit was to inspect the Spanish security forces, discuss Spanish-German police cooperation, and prepare for

2790-564: The guidance of Alfonso X , known as "El Sabio" ("the Wise") for his love of learning. The Toledo School of Translators , established under Archbishop Raymond of Toledo , continued to bring vast stores of knowledge to Europe by rendering great academic and philosophical works in Arabic into Latin. The Palacio de Galiana , built in the Mudéjar style, is one of the monuments remaining from that period. The Cathedral of Toledo ( Catedral de Toledo )

2852-568: The late 19th century. By the turn of the 20th century, Toledo's population stood at about 23,000. The neighborhood of Santa Bárbara came into existence after the arrival of rail. Following the July 1936 coup d'etat in Spain , the acting military commander in Toledo, José Moscardó , refused to provide weapons to Madrid and hid instead in the Alcázar with a garrison of about 1,000 rebels, food, ammunition and some hostages. After 21 July, they became subject to an unsuccessful siege by forces loyal to

2914-492: The many synagogues and mosques that reflect its diverse cultural past. Toledo hosts numerous cultural events and festivals, such as Semana Santa (Holy Week) processions and the Corpus Christi festival, which draw large crowds and celebrate Castilian Spanish religious and cultural traditions. Toledo has a typical cold semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSk ). Winters are cool, while summers are hot and dry. Precipitation

2976-572: The north and unsuccessfully laid siege to the city. The city retained its importance as a literary and ecclesiastical centre well into the mid-8th century, as demonstrated by the Chronicle of 754 . During this period, several letters show of the primacy that the church of Toledo held. Under the Umayyad Emirate of Cordoba , Toledo was the centre of numerous insurrections against Cordobese government from 761 to 857. Girbib ibn-Abdallah,

3038-408: The planned meeting at Hendaye between Franco and Hitler. During his trip, Himmler visited the ruins of the Alcázar. By 1950, the population was around 40,243. Urban planning vis-à-vis the development of the neighborhoods of Palomarejos and Polígono ensued in the second half of the 20th century. In the 1980s, in the context of the creation of the autonomous communities in Spain, Toledo became

3100-723: The population increased from 31,930 to 56,270. In 1561, during the first years of his son Philip II 's reign, the royal court was set in Madrid . The archbishops of Toledo remained powerful brokers in the political and religious affairs of Spain for the rest of the Ancien Régime , also owning large amounts of seigneurial land across most of the southern half of the Inner Plateau and some nearby territories. The mass arrival of deported unruly Moriscos from Granada ('moriscos nuevos') in Toledo and its lands (6,000 arrived to

3162-400: The remains as a synagogue is not certain. It was built between 70 and 50 BC as part of a royal winter palace complex near Jericho . El Ghriba Synagogue in Djerba , Tunisia is said to have been built in 586 BC or 70 AD, which would make it the oldest synagogue still standing and in continuous use in the world. Two of the claimants to be the oldest synagogue structures still standing are

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3224-456: The ruins, the former building was identified as a Hasmonean -period synagogue; however, the claim of the ruins being a synagogue have been disputed. The ruins date from between 70 and 50 BCE , and if the former building did serve as a synagogue, it would be one of the oldest synagogues known. The synagogue was a modest building of stone and sun-baked brick. It included a ritual bath and a small courtyard surrounded by seven or eight rooms with

3286-406: The rule of the Dhu l-Nunids . The population of Toledo at this time was about 28,000, including a Jewish population of 4,000. The Mozarab community had its own Christian bishop. The taifa was centered on the Tagus and bordered Sierra de Guadarrama , Guadalajara , Medinaceli , the Taifa of Valencia and the Mountains of Toledo . The taifa, however, fell into political disarray, owing to

3348-434: The successful Umayyad siege on the city, which forced defenders to submit. The Banu Qasi gained nominal control of Toledo until 920. A new period of unruliness followed in the 920 and 930s, until Caliph Abd-ar-Rahman III captured the city in 932 after an extensive siege. In the wake of the early 11th-century Fitna of al-Andalus , Toledo became the centre of an independent polity, the so-called Taifa of Toledo , under

3410-438: The sword-makers' guilds of the city and was located in the former mint. In 1777, recognizing the need to expand the space, Charles commissioned the architect Sabatini to construct a new building on the outskirts of the city. This was the beginning of several phases of expansion. Its importance was such that it eventually developed into a city within the city of Toledo. In the 20th century, the production of knives and swords for

3472-553: The synod of 589 the Visigothic king Reccared declared his conversion from Arianism to Catholicism ; the synod of 633 decreed uniformity of Catholic liturgy throughout the Visigothic Kingdom and took stringent measures against baptized Jews who had relapsed into their former faith. Other councils forbade circumcision, Jewish rites and observance of the Sabbath and festivals. Throughout the seventh century, Jews were flogged, executed, had their property confiscated, were subjected to ruinous taxes, forbidden to trade and, at times, dragged to

3534-422: The time, the bourgeoisie exerted a limited influence. Following the exclusion of Toledo from the railway to the Portuguese border in the 1850s, the construction of a rail connection from Castillejo to Toledo promoted by the Marquis of Salamanca was approved in June 1856. The line was opened on 12 June 1858. Tourism fostered by the arrival of rail contributed to the development of the hospitality industry in

3596-426: The western side of the main hall was a triclinium , or dining hall, where public meals could be held, and a small, triangular space that may have been used as a kitchen. The triclinium was added some years after the main hall was built. Diners reclined, Roman style, on benches against three walls of the chamber while eating. The floors and walls were covered with white plaster. Despite the excavator's identification of

3658-463: The world, having continuously served as one from 1025 AD until the mid 20th century. Owing to the expulsion of nearly all of Egypt's Jews to Israel , the building is no longer used as a synagogue, but instead has been renovated and preserved as a museum. The oldest of India's synagogue buildings can be found in the state of Kerala, where synagogue construction began during the medieval period. Whereas Kerala's first Jewish houses of prayer said to be from

3720-434: Was a city of the Carpetani tribe in the region of Carpetania . It was incorporated into the Roman Empire as a civitas stipendiaria , (a tributary city of non-citizens) and later a municipium . With this status, city officials obtained Roman citizenship for public service, and the forms of Roman law and politics were increasingly adopted. At approximately this time, a Roman circus , city walls, public baths , and

3782-429: Was as follows: 86.5% of the population engaged in the services, 6.6% in construction, 5.4% in industry and 1.5% in agriculture and livestock. In the decade up to 2008, unemployment in absolute terms remained fairly stable in the city of Toledo, but in 2009 this figure increased significantly: nearly 62% higher than 2008, with the number of unemployed rising from 2,515 to 4,074 (figures at 31 March each year), according to

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3844-421: Was built between 1226 and 1493 and modeled after Bourges Cathedral , though it also combines some characteristics of the Mudéjar style. It is remarkable for its incorporation of light and features a Baroque altar called El Transparente , several storeys high, with fantastic figures of stucco, paintings, bronze castings, and several colors of marble, a masterpiece of medieval mixed media by Narciso Tomé . For

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