Route of the Craft Trades
Villages and places of interest on the route
Toledo
Guadamur
Noez
Gálvez
Cuerva
Las ventas con peña aguilera
Sonseca
Ajofrín
Burguillos de Toledo
This proposal takes us into the origins of craftsmanship, handicrafts, which have been passed down from father to son, and which are today a cultural and popular legacy that reflects the history, experiences and traditions of the villages in the province of Toledo. The special nature of handicraft products is based on their distinctive characteristics, which may be utilitarian, aesthetic, artistic, creative, culturally linked, decorative, functional, traditional, symbolic, religiously and socially significant. Behind this definition is always the craftsman. Their quiet, detailed, creative work, impregnated with the tradition of the secrets of ancient crafts, passed down from generation to generation, gives rise to objects that surround us, that are part of our lives, that decorate, yes, but also, and as an added value, continue, in many cases, to provide the utility for which they were originally conceived. In the province of Toledo, hundreds of artisans and workshops keep alive the flame of trades that are part of our cultural and heritage legacy. In this path, traditional and innovative, popular and creative, classic and innovative, the work of the artisan is linked to the history of the people of Toledo. We are facing an expression of our popular culture and a precious heritage that becomes a sign of identity of an entire province.
The route starts in the ancient city of Toledo, which has a great legacy of craftsmanship passed down through the centuries by the different cultures that have passed through it. A great cultural and artisan imprint that allows us to delight in such exclusive, handmade products, which are unique pieces. Toledo steel is a world reference. His swords, which brought glory to the Spanish tercios, are still today one of the most popular products in the shops of the capital. Iron soul and steel “tiles” make up the sheets that pass through the forges and the anvil in a process where fire and water become, together with the wise hands of the craftsman, essential actors in its elaboration. Alongside this is a meticulous and delicate craft, the damascene, the other great craft of the capital of Toledo. The product of this craft, in which the gold or silver thread is fitted over other metals of lesser value – iron or bronze – to become a true work of art. Today the workshops, which are mainly concentrated in the city of Toledo, produce precious jewellery that has made the damascene from Toledo one of the most highly prized in the world. A stroll through the streets and alleys of the historic centre will allow the traveller to discover not only ancient monuments, but also a rich legacy of craftsmanship.
From Toledo, the route goes to the towns of Guadamur, Noez and Gálvez, the birthplace of great forgers who have passed on the craft of forging to us throughout their history. For centuries, blacksmiths and smiths have turned steel sheets into artistic grilles that are now part of the landscape of these villages in the province of Toledo. Although we have to go back to Roman times to find the first iron works, the truth is that in Toledo it was in the 16th century when the master blacksmiths reached their zenith with the works for the cathedral, churches, convents and noble houses. The strength of the Toledo forge, with innovative designs and open to the 21st century, is reflected in the operation of numerous workshops in these municipalities. Villas that also have a great cultural heritage such as the castle of Guadamur or the archaeological site of Guarrazar, the remains of the castle of Gálvez or the popular architecture of its historic centre and the great natural heritage of the Noez mountain range, crossed by hiking routes that delight nature lovers such as the PR-TO 23 hiking route.
Following the itinerary we reach Cuerva, the village of the Lasso de la Vega family, relatives of the great poet Garcilaso de la Vega. In this municipality we are welcomed by the castle of Peñaflor and then enter the town centre, where in addition to monuments such as the Herrerian-style parish church and the Colegio de Gramáticos, visitors can discover the craftsmanship of its potters. The reddish soils of the Tagus basin as it passes through the province of Toledo provided the clay as a raw material for one of the oldest industries of mankind. Dried in the sun, crushed, sieved, mixed with water, modelled by the potter on his potter’s wheel, fired and decorated, the vast paste is transformed, in the hands of potters and ceramists, into objects that have been in everyday use for centuries, and today – without losing their usefulness in many cases – have become pieces of undoubted artistic value. From here we head to the neighbouring town of Las Ventas with Peña Aguilera, known for its gastronomy of the Toledo mountains and its leather and stone craftsmanship. Saddlery, leather goods, bags, bags, boots, shoes, even saddles, the work with leather and leather as protagonists enjoy a well-deserved reputation in this town for its quality and adaptation to the new times. In this municipality there are still workshops where the intense smell of the tanning process is the atmosphere of the work that has quality as its hallmark. A stroll through the streets of this village will allow the traveller to discover its stone craftsmanship and how the large rocks merge with the houses in the hill district, which is crowned by a windmill and a stupendous view of the Toledo mountains.
Finally, the route takes us to the towns of Sonseca and Ajofrín, where, in addition to their heritage, these municipalities are known for their marzipan and above all for their high quality wood craftsmanship, made by craftsmen who have managed to combine tradition with the advances of the 21st century. The hands of the craftsmen of these towns have been able to build, carve and sculpt all kinds of objects throughout history, from the rich and spectacular coffered ceilings of the most noble and wealthy buildings, to the humble pieces of pastoral craftsmanship, to the making of all kinds of furniture, the carving of images, the composition of altarpieces, the making of barrels for the production of wine, the handcrafted manufacture of musical instruments and so on, to complete a long list that shows the intimate relationship of the province of Toledo with wood. Finally, we finish this artisan proposal in the town of Burguillos de Toledo to get to know the unknown but at the same time outstanding craft of stained glass. The millenary history of this land, its rich legacy, the cultures that have passed through it for centuries have allowed us to enrich and keep alive unique craftsmanship against all odds.
