Alcázar de Toledo

This is the Alcázar. It is a twentieth century rebuild of a sixteenth century fortress constructed by the Emperor Carlos V. It sits on top of a much earlier Muslim, Visigothic, and Roman castle.

The sixteenth century version was reduced to rubble during the Spanish Civil War when it was the infantry school for the Spanish military. General Moscardo, the commander, refused to surrender to the government forces of the Republic (he was a fascist, siding with the army rebels under Franco). The building was reduced with artillery, but he still refused to surrender. The besiegers threatened to execute his son, whom they had captured, but Moscardo still held out. That's called crazy.

So of course the rebuilt Alcázar is a huge nationalist symbol. Todo por La Patria, as the inscription on the front tells us.

It is not really that hard to understand the Civil War in a town like Toledo. Compared to Madrid, it is a much more conservative place. Presumably the same was true 75 years ago.