Typical arts and crafts from the area

Thanks to its history and its varied traditions and customs, Toledo offers the visitor a wide variety of handmade products and objects.

Damascene metal work

Damascene metal work is a decorative art with its origins in Muslim culture which has been handed down from generation to generation through skilled workmen.

The slow and laborious technique consists of scratching the design into the base (metals, like iron, bronze, steel or copper), introducing a gold or silver thread in the grooves and closing the gaps with small hammer blows. Oxidation creates the black tone of the base metal.

Swords

The steel Toledo sword has been well-known since the Roman era, but it was in the 16th century that it acquired true fame.

The firmness of the cutting edge and flexibility of the blade, as well as the hilts embellished with different engravings or damascene techniques brought fame to the swords from this city.

Currently, most swords are geared to the tourist market and are beautiful reproductions of memorable historical Spanish swords such as La Tizona of El Cid, King Arthur's Excalibur and the swords of Boabdil and Jaime I.

Marzipan

The origins of Toledo marzipan are attributed to the nuns of the San Clemente convent. When the Arabs laid siege to the city at the beginning of the 13th century, the people in Toledo were starving and the nuns raided their pantry to try to alleviate the situation. The only products that they had were almonds and sugar and with these, they made a dough that, once cooked, was called pan de maza or "mallet bread."

Today marzipan is a typical Christmas holiday season product and is formed into little figures. Its tradition and exquisite taste have made it a typical handcrafted sweet.