In fact, Toledo was the ancient Visigoth capital and from 554 to 1561 it served as the capital of what is now known as Spain.(For part of that time it was also known as Spain). Being the capital and being centrally located, along with all of the different invaders, Toledo has a unique mixture of all of their cultures. Wandering the narrow streets you will see Moorish arches next to medieval buildings. Its truly a treat to wander the streets and see the influence of all of these cultures on the buildings.

   One of the most important events for Toledo happened in 1561. The city ran out of room to grow. The problem with being built atop a hill surrounded by a river is that eventually you run out of space. Therefore, instead of expanding outside of the river, the king moved the capital to the center of the country , Madrid. The result was that the heart of Toledo has remained for the most part unchanged since then. Which is to the visitors benefit because it gives you a chance to wander the streets of a medevialish city with Moorish, Roman, Jewish and Christian influences.