Stratigraphy of a neighbourhood around Toledo Cathedral: The houses of the Adarve de los Canónigos

Abstract

This article presents a diachronic analysis of the medieval land division in Toledo, focusing on the area to the south of the cathedral. Through the study of notarial documents, old city plans, Arabic sources, archaeological excavations and field observations, it reconstructs the urban transformations in the Late Middle Ages, with special attention to the 15th century, one of the periods of greatest construction activity around the cathedral.

The study analyses how original Islamic houses were reused, enlarged, or buried following the construction of the Gothic church, and how the urban space was reorganised by the cathedral chapter. Three case studies illustrate these processes of transformation: a mosque converted into a stable and dwelling, an Islamic house enlarged and reconfigured up to the 15th century, and the creation of a square in front of the cathedral to highlight the Portada de la Oliva, linked to the sculptor Juan Alemán.

The evolution of the plot structure reveals a flexible and stratified urban fabric, shaped by social practices, religious regulations and institutional appropriations. This microhistory of a neighbourhood at the heart of the city is thus proposed as a reflection of the historical evolution of urban planning in Toledo.