Illescas, Historic municipality in Toledo Province, Spain.
Illescas is a municipality in Toledo Province situated in the La Sagra region between Madrid and Toledo. The town features a historic walled core with religious buildings and maintains its role as a settlement in this agricultural plain landscape.
The settlement developed from medieval Elesches into a fortified town during the 12th century when new residents from Gascony were brought to settle there. This period established the architectural character that the place retained through later centuries.
The Hospital of Nuestra Señora de la Caridad holds five paintings by El Greco, revealing how Renaissance art entered religious spaces in this region. These works show the connection between local institutions and major Spanish artists of the period.
This location sits on major routes between Madrid and Toledo, making it easy to reach by car. The town center is walkable and the main attractions are concentrated in the historic core.
The Mudéjar towers and the Ugena Gate showcase building methods from the 11th century with a rare blend of stone and brick. These structures illustrate how Islamic construction traditions influenced Christian fortifications in this region.
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