Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz (Mosque of Christ of the Light)

Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz (Mosque of Christ of the Light) Review

In a park above the ramparts, a gardener will show you around this mosque-chapel; if one's not around, ask for a guide at the house opposite the mosque. Originally a tiny Visigothic church, the chapel was transformed into a mosque during the Moorish occupation. The Islamic arches and vaulting survived, making this the most important relic of Moorish Toledo. The chapel got its name when Alfonso VI's horse, striding triumphantly into Toledo in 1085, fell to its knees out front (a white stone marks the spot). It was then discovered that a candle had burned continuously behind the masonry the whole time the Muslims had been in power. Allegedly, the first Mass of the Reconquest was held here, and later a Mudejar apse was added. Archaeological excavations are underway to reveal the remnants of a Roman house in the yard nearby.