"Primate", the exhibition
The grand exhibition of the Eighth Centenary
The great exhibition “Primada” celebrates eight centuries of art and faith at Toledo Cathedral.
In 2026, Toledo Cathedral will commemorate the Eighth Centenary of the start of its construction with an unprecedented exhibition. “Primate: VIII Centenary of Toledo Cathedral” will bring together the essence of eight centuries of history, art, and spirituality within the Cathedral itself.
Eight centuries ago, in 1226, work began in Toledo on a project that would forever transform the history of art and faith in Spain: the construction of its Primate Cathedral. That enterprise of stone, light, and spirituality became, over the centuries, a symbol of the creative power of the human soul.
In 2026, the Cathedral will celebrate its anniversary with a commemorative exhibition that aspires to be an internationally significant cultural event. Under the title “Primate: VIII Centenary of Toledo Cathedral”, the exhibition will traverse eight centuries of beauty—from the 13th to the 18th century—through over 350 masterpieces, including paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, tapestries, and liturgical objects of incalculable value.
The exhibition will take place inside the Cathedral, along a route that extends from the Puerta del Mollete to the Trascoro, passing through the Upper Cloister, the Queen’s Chapel, and the Chapel of San Blas. Covering more than 2,000 square meters, this journey will allow stone, gold, and light to dialogue with some of the greatest names in universal art: El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán, Bellini, Giordano, Andrea Sansovino, Enrique de Arfe…
Divided into two main stages and nine thematic sections, “Primate” will show how Toledo Cathedral has been, throughout the centuries, a spiritual, artistic, and architectural model for all of Christendom.
The project is curated by Javier Martínez de Aguirre and Benito Navarrete, with museography by Francisco Bocanegra, under the organization of the Fundación Impulsa Castilla-La Mancha and the Chapter of the Holy Primate Cathedral.
More than fifty public and private institutions and collections, both national and international, will participate in this exceptional event. In addition, a catalogue of over 1,200 pages, produced with contributions from around a hundred experts, will be published, and a comprehensive programme of restoration of historical pieces has been launched.
“Primate” will not be just an exhibition. It will be an act of gratitude, a dialogue between art and faith, between past and present, a tribute to the Cathedral, which, eight centuries later, continues to elevate the soul toward the light.