Mosque of Cristo de la Luz in Toledo, Spain is an Example of the City’s Rich History

One of my favorite things to do while visiting Europe is to wander around and visit old churches. Churches, particularly in Europe, tell the story of a people. Sometimes church history is uplifting, and sometimes it shows the darkest parts of humanity. Either way, churches are the stories of the people and the communities they were a part of.

My son and I were in Spain because he was playing soccer for a week in Madrid. After our flight was canceled and we couldn’t get home for a few days, we took the short train ride from Madrid to Toledo and stayed for a few days. My son was exhausted from a week of soccer and so I went out on my own one afternoon to explore.

As I wandered through the tight streets of Toledo, I stood outside the Mosque of Cristo de la Luz. Right away I could see the church’s Islamic origin and it piqued my interest. I stepped inside the small house of worship and found the gothic building and its history captivating.

The Mosque of Cristo de la Luz’s origins date back to 999 AD during the height of Islamic rule. This time period calls Toledo “The City of Three Cultures” because Muslims, Christians, and Jews got along in relative peace under Islamic rule.

Toledo was an important city within the Islamic territories in the 10th century. During this time period, Toledo held around 10 mosques. The original name of this mosque was “Bab al-Mardum Mosque.”

A brick on the facade of the mosque states a dedication date of 390 of the Islamic calendar (999 AD). The Kufic inscription records that the mosque was commissioned by Ahmad ibn ‘Ali, a local wealthy patron. The architect of the mosque was a man named Musa ibn ‘Ali.

The mosque was built near one of Toledo’s city gates, Bab al-Mardum, which connected Toledo to a Roman road. The location of the mosque suggests it served a smaller, local community.

When King Alfonso VI of Leon and Castille took Toledo in 1085, the unity among the three religions broke apart. A long-Christian campaign called Reconquista, a 700-year campaign to establish Catholicism as the dominate faith throughout Europe. After Toledo was taken, most of the mosques were destroyed.

A Toledo legend says that Alfonso VI’s horse stopped and knelt at the entrance to the mosque, which caused the king to explore the area. Inside the mosque, King Alfonso found a crucifix hidden in the walls, and it was illuminated by an oil lamp that had burned for centuries. Afterward, the mosque was consecrated as a Christian chapel.

In 1186, the chapel was given to the Knights of the Order of St. John and was renamed “Hermitage of the Holy Cross.” A new Romanesque apse was added to the eastern side of the building, which included frescoes depicting Christ Pantocrator, interpreting Jesus as an all-powerful deity.

The current name of the church was inspired by Alfonso’s legend. The building represents the early days of Toledo when three major religions got along and worked together. Also displays religious colonialism, as the mosque is the only remaining mosque from the city’s medieval Muslim period.

Other stories from Spain:
Legends Museum in Madrid is a Football/Soccer/Futbol Lover’s Dream
Staying in a Haunted Castle in Spain with My Family

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