[2025 Toledo Attraction] Travel Guide for Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes (Updated Mar)
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No.5 of Best Things to Do in Toledo
Located in the heart of Toledo's Jewish Quarter, the Royal Monastery of San Juan is a historic Catholic Franciscan monastery. The original intention of the monastery was to show the supremacy of the Catholic faith in Spain. The monastery is worth visiting for its exquisite double-layered cloister, and the Islamic carvings in the cloister are very worthy of appreciation. Franciscans Franciscans is one of the Catholic religious orders. Because its members wear gray uniforms, it is also known as the gray monks. In 1209, it was established by the Pope Francis, a wealthy child of Assisi, Italy. meeting. Architectural History The Royal Monastery of San Juan in Toledo was built in 1476 by King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile as their home. But after the conquest of Granada in 1492, the king and queen changed their plans and chose to be buried in Granada, although the monastery was nearing completion. It was chosen to build in Toledo because the city is located in the geographic center of Spain and is the former capital of the Visigoth kingdom. The monastery was badly damaged when Napoleon captured Toledo, and it was reopened after repeated repairs. The double-layered cloister of the exquisite and gorgeous double-layered cloister monastery is very beautiful. The first floor is in post-Gothic style, and the second floor is balanced by Mudejar decoration (close to the combination of Arabic and Roman styles), and the Islamic carvings in the cloister are more It is exquisite, and it is worth admiring attentively. The exquisite stone carvings in the church and the secluded atrium also give the monastery a unique demure atmosphere.
Address:
C. de los Reyes Católicos, 17, 45002 Toledo, Spain
Recommended sightseeing time:
1-2 hours
Phone:
+34 925-951-200,+34 925-22-38-02
You can skip Madrid, but you must pay Toledo a visit on your trip to Spain
#celebrateit
Some people found Madrid boring. It could be, if you’re not a fan of museums. BUT you still must go to Madrid, for an unpretentious town 70km away from it: Toledo.
As an UNESCO world heritage site, no surprise this place houses quite a few must-go: 1) Catedral Primada de Toledo, 2) Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes; 3) Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz, which are the representatives of the three main cultures in Toledo: Christian, Jews and Muslims—check out other posts of mine.
But even the township itself is remarkable enough. It’s an ancient town built on a hill surrounded by a river, which means plenty of views as you get up and in the alleys. But that also means it could be tiring to navigate in the town.
I strongly advise to leave out one FULL day for Toledo. If possible, take the earliest bus (or train) from Madrid so you can arrive around dawn. Ancient towns look best when light is not harsh.
Shih Yuin Chew
2
Don’t forget to visit this monastery on your trip to Toledo
#celebrateit
Located 45min car trip away from Madrid, Toledo is a UNESCO world heritage that houses many historically significant sites. One of them is this monastery.
Pictures say it all. It’s such intricate and elegant architecture, and you are allowed to access the 2nd floor for a higher viewpoint overlooking the church and garden. And it’s not exactly crowded during my visit, which gave me enough time and room to explore it in peace.
And it’s very affordable among European/Spanish attractions:
💰Average Price per Person: 4€
🕰️Business Hours: 10am-5.45pm daily
Shih Yuin Chew
The city of 3 cultures!
#traveldiaries
Christians, Muslims and Jews. Followers of the three religions lived side by side for centuries and left their mark in Toledo. It is one of Spain’s most interesting and intriguing cities, where you can see a Gothic cathedral, a 10th century mosque and two synagogues in the space of just a few metres.
It was once an Imperial City, and its beauty was depicted in the paintings of El Greco. Visitors to the city should be sure to see its views, visit the Alcázar, walk around its winding streets, or see a sunset from the Alcántara or San Martín bridges. Less than 80 kilometres from Madrid, it’s worth spending more than a day to see the city lit up at night and explore it in more depth.
Must visit attractions:
📍El Alcazar
Perched on one of the highest points in Toledo, El Alcazar overlooks the city.
📍Mezquita Cristo de la Luz
Toledo’s old mosque.
📍Plaza Zocodover
A large open plaza that connects many of the main sites in Toledo.
📍Catedral Primada
Main cathedral of Toledo.
📍Monasterio de San Juan de Los Reyes
Monastery in the heart of Toledo’s Jewish Quarter.
📍The El Greco Museum
Dedicated to late renaissance art painted by the famous El Greco.
📍Puente de Alcantata
Toledo’s most beautiful bridge. Crossing the Tajo river, the old Roman bridge used to be the only entry to the city for pilgrims.
littledaizy
2
[San Juan
[San Juan Royal Abbey]
Monastery was built between 1477-1504 and was built by King Aragonese Fernando II and Queen Isabel of Castilea to commemorate his newborn son. It is also a surviving sign of the great event of the monarchy expelling Jews from Spain. The monastery gate is very quaint, a beautiful monastery that shines brightly after entering the door, a monastery with a queen's sense of sight, a quiet Spanish aristocratic monastery. The
Abbey combines a variety of architectural styles, and the whole building is exquisite, especially the first floor of the cloister and the reliefs in the main hall. The cloister is surrounded by a beautiful little garden with citrus trees, red and yellow roses and shrubs. There are not many tourists. You can also use it as a beautiful royal garden. Come and take a rest and enjoy the little convents where the European style and Arabian style are displayed. On the first floor, there are tourists to sit down and visit the cloister. Red benches.
I prefer the first floor cloister compared to the second floor cloister. The more elaborate character reliefs and window grilles give the entire cloister a very formal, yet elegant palace feel, very noble and ancient. Luxury. The second floor overlooks the entire building of the monastery and the small square garden. The ceiling of the second cloister is a wooden square Mudejar style, very Arabian, with a great collision with the Gothic style of the entire building.
The fare is not too expensive. It is 2.8 Euro/person. It is very quiet here and you can rest in a daze. Remember to visit.