Toledo’s city wall is incomplete (unlike Avila’s wall and Chester’s), but it was the design of Toledo’s old city gates that commanded my attention.

Crossing over the bridge and through the tower gate, one crosses a road to reach the keyhole-style city gate of Toledo.

In classic Moorish defensive construction, the gate opens into a long, zigzagging, open air hall. In ancient times, the zigzagging pathway made invaders easy targets for defending soldiers lining the rampart above.

Heading upward, one reaches the top of the ramparts and can take the dead end to the right (for the views) or head left for access to the city.

A view of the bridge from the ramparts

A Time Line of Toledo's History