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![[Picture: 84.—The Alcazar at Toledo (Begun 1548)]](https://www.fromoldbooks.org/Smith-GothicArchitecture/pages/231-the-alcazar-at-toledo/231-the-alcazar-at-toledo-q85-1750x2540.jpg "[Picture: 84.—The Alcazar at Toledo (Begun 1548)]")
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84.—The Alcazar at Toledo (Begun 1548), in Toledo, Toledo, Spain more
castles, pillars, arches, people, interiors, columns, fortifications, balustrades, balconies, roman remains
Several people stand or sit around, disconnected individuals, on the flagstone floor of the Alcázar, made to seem insiginficant by the height of the pillars and arches, perhaps 60 feet or more (10 metres). In this picture the courtyard or interior is open to the sky, as it is today, but with ruined battlements at the top, and in a state of disrepair. The building was reconstructed between 1939 and 1957, however, after being badly damaged during the Civil War there.
The Alcázar in Toledo was a palace in ancient Roman times, and made into a fortress in the 10th century. The building was restored in the sisxteenth century; Juan de Herrera was responsible for the South Façade and the monumental staircase, and perhaps more, between 1571 and 1585. It is not clear why the image caption in the book says “Begun 1548.”
The earliest architect who introduced into Spain an architectural style founded on the best examples of Italy, was Juan Baptista de Toledo. He in the year 1563 commenced the Escurial Palace—the Versailles of Spain; but the principal part of the building was erected by his more celebrated pupil, Juan de Herrera, who carried on the works during the years from 1567 to 1579.
[...]
By the same architect [Juan de Herrera] numerous buildings were erected, among others the beautiful, if somewhat cold, arcaded interior of the Alcazar of Toledo (Fig. 84), which may be taken as a fair specimen of the noble qualities to be found in his dignified and comparatively simple designs. (p. 232)
