Looking through the smallest window in the world to see Cervantes
It was the 16th century. Toledo had lost its status as the capital of the country in 1561 and the decadence of the city was accentuated as the years went by. The Casón de los López de Toledo was a restaurant that nevertheless went well. Cervantes spent more than a little time the walls of that famous restaurant. The one that can be seen through the smallest window frame in the world.
Views of the Alcazar of Toledo. | Shutterstock
In Toledo it is possible to visit a many monuments. In fact, the concentration of these is immense. In just a few square meters there are dozens. The cathedral, the monastery of San Juan de los Reyes or the Alcázar of Toledo, further away, are among the best known and also the largest. But Toledo is also a city inhabited by legends and curiosities. One of them is this window that does not have its own name, but which is undoubtedly famous.
The opening could easily go unnoticed to the eyes of tourists. Its dimensions are little larger than those of a cigarette box and many might walk by it without even thinking that it is a window. But it is and, in fact, it is even crossed by a bar that crosses it vertically and another that crosses it horizontally. Its function is a mystery, because right next to it there is a real window.
Who would choose to look out of this small square? Would anyone prefer to open this window rather than the other if it were too hot? These things are unknown, but what is certain is that the Guinness Book of Records, the highest authority on what nonsense to be the first or the most, granted this window a recognition that no other holds.
The smallest window in the world, on Sillería Street in Toledo. | Shutterstock
In addition to its curious dimensions, the tiny skylight has one more peculiarity. On its lower part you can see an inscription in Arabic. The Toledo School of Translators believes that the meaning of this epigraph is Tulaytula, the Islamic name by which the capital of La Mancha was called in the past, although it is not something they are totally sure of.
The smallest window in the world is located, as already mentioned, on the facade of the Casón López, a building located in the historic center of Toledo, just a few meters from the Plaza de Zocodover. This restaurant was restored in 1973 and incorporated several newly created decorative elements. The most famous writer in the history of Spain, Miguel de Cervantes, ate and stayed in these walls on numerous occasions. He frequently traveled to Castile La Mancha as part of the route between Madrid and Andalusia. Right now the premises remain closed and in 2020 the installation of a hotel in the establishment was approved.
