Now the Hospital of Tavera Museum, the Hospital of Tavera set an example for the early planning of Toledo in Spain. During the Renaissance period, Toledo was a center for the arts and architectural design. Visit this outstanding building just beyond the old city gates.
The hospital was located outside the city center to keep disease away from the population. Even today, you’ll need to search for the building, as it’s not in the most traveled area of Toledo. Notice its elegance, even though it was principally a building for the poor and infirm. Its rows of courtyard colonnades, some positioned one above the other, make it an attractive structure and an excellent example of Renaissance style.
Hospital of Tavera has a second name, the Hospital of San Juan Bautista. Cardinal Juan Tavera was its founder and a primary advisor to Emperor Charles V. Later the San Juan Bautista Foundation administered the building.
Along with the city’s impressive cathedral, this structure has tremendous architectural importance in Toledo. Walk through the grounds and spacious courtyards to appreciate its design and join a guided tour of the interior.
Inside, visit the pharmacy with its collection of earthenware jars and vases, which contained potions and tinctures for treating patients. Proceed through the library where the walls are lined with bookcases filled with many volumes of books and decorated manuscripts.
The sacristy features paintings by well-known artists such as El Greco, Tintoretto and Titian. Massive tapestries hang on the walls, giving a feeling of opulence. Look for the marble tomb of Cardinal Tavera inside.
The building was constructed over a 75-year period beginning in 1541. Notice its finished beauty and understand why Spanish architect Nicolás de Vergara the Younger described it in 1603 as one of the wonders of the world.
Find Hospital of Tavera Museum in the city’s Jewish Quarter beyond the outer part of the old city wall, near the Bisagra Gate and the bullring. Admission includes a 45-minute tour. The museum is open daily.
