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Museum · Toledo, Castela-Mancha
Museo de Santa Cruz
Museum in a former hospital from the early 16th century, with a plateresque portal by Alonso de Covarrubias. It contains paintings by El Greco from various periods, ceramics, tapestries and archaeological finds.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Museo de Santa Cruz
Cardinal Pedro González de Mendoza, archbishop of Toledo, obtained papal authorization in 1494 to found a hospital for orphaned and abandoned children. He died in January 1495, and the work was carried on by the executors of the will, among them Queen Isabella the Catholic and Cardinal Cisneros.
The project, by the brothers Antón and Enrique Egas, has a Greek-cross plan, inspired by the Ospedale Maggiore in Milan, with courtyards between the arms. The hospital opened in 1514. Later Alonso de Covarrubias created the plateresque portal, the entrance hall, the main courtyard and the staircase.
The museum has operated in the building since 1961. The Fine Arts section contains paintings by El Greco from almost all the phases he went through in Toledo, from the Veronica with the Holy Face, around 1580, to the Immaculate Conception of 1613.
Other rooms hold tapestries, furniture, a banner said to have been at the Battle of Lepanto and the Carranza collection, with about 480 ceramic pieces from the 14th to the 19th centuries. The archaeology section is in the cloister and the basement.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
From one hour to an hour and a half.
Best time
Fits at the end of the morning or the start of the afternoon, since it's next to the Plaza de Zocodover. Check opening hours and days before you go.
How to get there
It's a two-minute walk from the Plaza de Zocodover, passing the Arco de la Sangre and down Calle de Cervantes.
Tip
Notice Covarrubias's portal before entering and the Renaissance courtyard. For fans of El Greco, the museum complements a visit to Santo Tomé and the Museo del Greco.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Museo de Santa Cruz
What works by El Greco are in the Museo de Santa Cruz?
Several, from different phases of his life in Toledo, such as the Veronica with the Holy Face, around 1580, and the Immaculate Conception, from 1613.
Has the building always been a museum?
No. It was built as a hospital for orphaned children, founded by Cardinal Mendoza, and opened in 1514. The museum has been there since 1961.
Is it far from the center?
No. It's a two-minute walk from the Plaza de Zocodover.