Monumental buildings and a maze of medieval streets: one of the oldest and most accurate cityscapes of Toledo, the long-time capital of Spain
Map of Toledo by José Arroyo Palomenque

Map of Toledo by José Arroyo Palomenque
Kings reigned from the Alcazar in Toledo, the capital of the Kingdom of Spain, until the mid-16th century
This fascinating historical panorama depicts every detail of the city, which is relatively unchanged today
The city is presented with monumental edifices and a maze of medieval streets as seen from the south
Map of Toledo by José Arroyo Palomenque
- Karte von Toledo von José Arroyo Palomenque
- Plano de Toledo de José Arroyo Palomeque
Short Description
The central meaning of Toledo for the history of Spain up to the 16th century and beyond is widely known. This impressive map from the year 1720, made by José Arroyo Palomenque, is a testimonial to the outstanding political, historical, and cultural status of the city.
Map of Toledo by José Arroyo Palomenque
Two angels with fanfares bear the city’s coat of arms centered above the map: Toledo, immortalized in a banderole. Stretching out underneath it is a wonderful panorama of the significant Spanish city, which played a large role in Spanish history over the centuries. Toledo was the capital of the Kingdom of Spain until the mid–16th century – the kings reigned over the city from the Alcazar enthroned above it. To this day, the city is the seat of the powerful archbishop and the highest cleric of the Catholic Church in Spain.
The Former Capitol in the 18th Century
José Arroyo Palomenque, a master builder from Toledo, recorded the image of his famous home city at the beginning of the 18th century in an elaborately designed map. This fascinating historical panorama depicts every detail of the city – which has largely preserved its original appearance up to today – in the finest detail and additionally boasts gorgeously colorful and figurative décor.
Bridges, Churches, and Palaces
The city is presented with monumental edifices and a maze of medieval streets – as seen from the south – between the Rìo Tajo in the foreground and framed by the hilly landscape in the background. Aside from the cathedral, the seat of the archbishop and the royal palace, numerous churches, synagogues, monasteries, hospitals, and bridges. Similarly, such special locations such as the Casa de comedias or the fire pits of La Vega, where the judgements of the Inquisition were carried out, were not left out.
The Gorgeous Illumination
This detailed and extremely appealing depiction of Toledo is one of the oldest and most accurate visions of the city. A wonderfully arranged directory of the most important monuments depicted is found in the lower part of the over 60 x 50 cm map. Furnished with numbers in the map, it naturally begins with the cathedral, archbishop’s palace, and the king’s seat of Alcazar. This directory is gorgeously designed, flanked by two exotically-dressed figures, floral ornamentation, angels, and additional figurative depictions on the lower margin of the map.
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- Karte von Toledo von José Arroyo Palomenque
Plano de Toledo de José Arroyo Palomeque - Style
- Genre
1 available facsimile edition(s) of „Map of Toledo by José Arroyo Palomenque“
Plano de Toledo de José Arroyo Palomeque
- Publisher
- Millennium Liber – Madrid
- Limited Edition
- 995 copies
- More Information
- Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.
Matching Works
Diego Homen’s Atlas 1561
Diego Homem's pioneering work in the field of cartography: the mapping of sea routes, oceans, and world regions as an example of the unstoppable advance of science
Experience MoreHeinrich Schweickher: Atlas Of Wuerttemberg 1575
The oldest atlas of Württemberg: 52 maps with cityscapes predating the destruction of the Thirty Years' War
Experience MoreMatching Background Articles
Geography / Maps
Most of what you know about world and how you perceive geography is based on maps you have seen. Medieval maps likewise...Experience more
- Treatises / Secular Books
- Apocalypses / Beatus
- Astronomy / Astrology
- Bestiaries
- Bibles / Gospels
- Chronicles / History / Law
- Geography / Maps
- Saints' Lives
- Islam / Oriental
- Judaism / Hebrew
- Single Leaf Collections
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Literature / Poetry
- Liturgical Manuscripts
- Medicine / Botany / Alchemy
- Music
- Mythology / Prophecies
- Psalters
- Other Religious Books
- Games / Hunting
- Private Devotion Books
- Other Genres
- Aboca Museum
- Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA)
- Aldo Ausilio Editore - Bottega d’Erasmo
- Alecto Historical Editions
- Ars Magna
- ArtCodex
- AyN Ediciones
- Bärenreiter-Verlag
- Belser Verlag
- Belser Verlag / WK Wertkontor
- Bernardinum Wydawnictwo
- BiblioGemma
- Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (Vaticanstadt, Vaticanstadt)
- Bibliotheca Palatina Faksimile Verlag
- Bibliotheca Rara
- CAPSA, Ars Scriptoria
- Circulo Cientifico
- Club Bibliófilo Versol
- CM Editores
- Collezione Apocrifa Da Vinci
- Comissão Nacional para as Comemorações dos Descobrimentos Portugueses
- Coron Verlag
- De Agostini/UTET
- DIAMM
- E. Schreiber Graphische Kunstanstalten
- Ediciones Boreal
- Ediciones Grial
- Edilan
- Editalia
- Edition Leipzig
- Edition Libri Illustri
- Editiones Reales Sitios S. L.
- Editions Medicina Rara
- Editorial Mintzoa
- Egeria, S.L.
- Extraordinary Editions
- Facsimile Editions Ltd.
- Facsimilia Art & Edition Ebert KG
- Faksimile Verlag
- Franco Cosimo Panini Editore
- Fundación Hullera Vasco-Leonesa
- Giunti Editore
- Graffiti
- Grafica European Center of Fine Arts
- Helikon
- Herder Verlag
- Hes & De Graaf Publishers
- Hugo Schmidt Verlag
- Idion Verlag
- Il Bulino, edizioni d'arte
- Imago
- Insel Verlag
- Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana - Treccani
- Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato
- Kaydeda Ediciones
- La Meta Editore
- Leo S. Olschki
- Libreria Musicale Italiana
- Lumen Artis
- M. Moleiro Editor
- Manuscriptum
- Millennium Liber
- Nova Charta
- Orbis Mediaevalis
- Orbis Pictus
- Österreichische Staatsdruckerei
- Patrimonio Ediciones
- PIAF
- Prestel Verlag
- Priuli & Verlucca, editori
- Pro Sport Verlag
- Pytheas Books
- Quaternio Verlag Luzern
- Reales Sitios
- Reichert Verlag
- Roberto Vattori Editore
- Salerno Editrice
- Schöck ArtPrint Kft.
- Scrinium
- Scripta Maneant
- Scriptorium
- Siloé, arte y bibliofilia
- Styria Verlag
- Tempus Libri
- Testimonio Compañía Editorial
- The Clear Vue Publishing Partnership Limited
- The Facsimile Codex
- The Folio Society
- Tip.Le.Co
- TouchArt
- Trident Editore
- Vallecchi
- Van Wijnen
- Vicent Garcia Editores
- Wiener Mechitharisten-Congregation (Wien, Österreich)