Description of the attraction
The Puerta del Sol, or Gate of the Sun, is located in Toledo and is one of the ancient gates through which access to the city was provided. The gate was built in the 14th century by the Knights Hospitallers.
The Puerta del Sol gate is made in the Moorish style and is a massive structure made of stone, which at one time carried out a defensive function. The gate consists of two majestic towers, between which there is an entrance made in the form of a horseshoe-shaped arch. The towers themselves are crowned with massive battlements, one of the towers is square, the other is circular in cross-section. There are window openings in the walls of the towers, as well as holes for loopholes. The lancet vault of the entrance arch has preserved the original Arabian brickwork.
In the central part of the facade of the building, there is an original bas-relief, which depicts two female figures holding a tray with a human head. Also, the Puerta del Sol gate is decorated with a round marble shield located above the entrance. On the shield, in a triangle, there is a sculptural composition, which depicts a scene of the life of Saint Ildefonso, revered by the inhabitants of Toledo, the Visigothic archbishop who stood up to protect the Virgin Mary. Above the composition are images of the sun and the moon. Under one of the versions, this is why the gate got its name - the Gate of the Sun. The entrance part of the gate is decorated with an original frieze. Inside the building is a relic - an ancient early Christian sarcophagus dating back to the 4th century.
