European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 25, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Top right roses Bloom along the City Wall at the Southern end of town. Right Toledo is a popular Stop for tourists in Spain. Above the Alcazar building towers Over one Section of the City. Pursued and persecuted by the Christian rulers. An order of franciscan monks still lives in the cloister. Next on the Toledo charts come the Transito and Santa Maria la Blanca synagogues. The Transito synagogue dates Back to 1366 and was founded by Samuel Levi treasurer to King Pedro i of Castille. Its style is Mude Jar a mix of Christian and moorish influence. The building served As a synagogue until the Catholic monarchs expelled the hebrews and moors and donated the building to a military order around 1494. Toledo s most illustrious resident was artist Dorne Nikos Theo Tomopoulos better known Asel Greco the greek. Tourists can tour the Painter s House and museum which originally belonged to Levi of synagogue Fame. The House was refurnished at the beginning of this Century with 16th-Century-style paintings and furniture. The House and museum display works by Al Greco and other artists such As Tintoretto one of the italian masters under whose Tutelage Al Greco studied. One Al Greco painting View and plan of Toledo shows his son holding a map with a backdrop of the Toledo Panorama. Not everyone will like the painting but seeing the actual View is Worth a drive across the Tagus River and up into the neighbouring Hills. Al Greco s night View of Toledo hangs in new York s metropolitan museum of Art. Although Tol clans tend to claim the native cretan As their own Al Greco moved to their City Only after being forced out of Italy. While studying in Venice at the time Michelangelo was painting the ceiling of the sistine Chapel Al Greco made some unflattering remarks about the great master. Consequently the Art world branded Al Greco a Blasphemer and he set sail for Spain ending up in Toledo until his death. Despite Al Greco s unkind words about Michelangelo he also did some Church painting. The work that is perhaps his most celebrated masterpiece is in the Saint Tome Church. The burial of the Conde Orgaz depicts the legend of the funeral of a much loved resident of Toledo. Orgaz s body was being Laid in the Tomb by Saint Augustine and Saint Stephen when a voice was heard from heaven saying such a tribute will receive All who serve god and his saints so  the last Stop on the Toledo Short tour must be the Cathedral. In 1227 the Cathedral began an evolution that continued into the 18th Century. Measuring 370 feet by 190 feet it has 750 stained Glass windows 88 pillars and 70 cupolas. And if that in t enough to leave curious tourists with stiff necks they can View at least 17 adjoining chapels and a two floor 14th Century cloister. The Cathedral holds hundreds of icons altars and artefacts including a Beautiful Silver and Goltl Mons trance that is paraded through the Steep winding Toledo streets for the Corpus Christi least each year. The 440-Pound Mons trance by German Goldsmith Enrique de Arfe is housed in the Tower Chapel. The 2 /2-meter-High Gold filigree Model of Cathedral Spires is used to hold the communion bread and wine. The Gold on the mostly Silver Mons trance is believed to have been brought Back from the new world by Columbus. Toledo is also a Fine shopping City. Power shoppers will no doubt want to make a Point of buying one of the inexpensive ornate swords for which the City is so famous. Many of these weapons display Damascene the Art of in laying Silver and Gold. One can also buy Damascene jewelry and scissors. Some workshops even allow tourists to uak h the knives and swords being made. For visitors with a lot of time there arc More castles museums and other sights worthy of note in the City which is now protected As a National Monument. All buildings except the Cathedral Are open irom id . To 2 ., then after siesta time from a. U  To 7  The Cathedral is open from 10 i . To i  And from 3 h  To 7  Purim the inter season closing time . The venture tour office at Torrejon a recommends the following restaurant in Toledo the Adolfo near the Cathedral the i Piacido and Amelio close to the Santo Tome Church and the Paradox National located on a Hill overlooking the c it. A tourist office located near the i Ueita de  Entrance to the City can provide a list of hotel and City maps. It is open from to . To 2  And from .5 a  To 7  To drive to Toledo from Madrid take m u South and watch Lor a turnoff onto n-40 1, tin h u ill take you directly to i Oledo. August 2.5, 1988 stripes Niaga be