The Liturgical Heart of the Cathedral
The Main Chapel is the spiritual and artistic centre of the Cathedral of Toledo, Primate of Spain. It was conceived during the time of Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, who ordered its transformation at the end of the 15th century. The relocation of earlier royal tombs made it possible to enlarge the space, while preserving the original burials of Alfonso VII, Sancho the Desired and Sancho the Brave, now placed along the sides.
Dominating the chapel is a monumental altarpiece of gilded and polychromed wood (1498–1504), one of the supreme masterpieces of Hispano-Flemish Gothic art. Its design is attributed to Petit Jean, under the direction of Enrique Egas and Pedro de Gumiel, and its execution brought together some of the most accomplished sculptors of the period: Felipe Bigarny, Diego Copín of Holland and Sebastián de Almonacid, with polychromy by Francisco de Amberes and Juan de Borgoña.
Organised into three tiers and five vertical sections, the altarpiece unfolds an extraordinary cycle of biblical scenes. At its centre rises the tabernacle, a delicate filigree of gilded wood, while at the summit a large Calvary stands beneath a starry sky.
On the left stands the tomb of Cardinal Mendoza (†1495), attributed to Domenico Fancelli and regarded as one of the earliest expressions of the Renaissance in Spain. The chapel is enclosed by a sumptuous Plateresque grille by Francisco de Villalpando, one of the most magnificent of the 16th century, crowned with the imperial arms of Charles V and a monumental crucifix.
The Main Chapel embodies the greatness of Toledo: the place where liturgy becomes art, and art becomes a testimony of faith.
