Arco de la Sangre (Blood Arch), Toledo

The Arco de la Sangre (Blood Arch), situated in Toledo, is an ancient horseshoe arch on the east side of Zocodover Square (Plaza de Zocodover), connecting with Cervantes Street (Calle de Cervantes). The arch dates back to Arab origin and was known as Bab-al-Yayl or "Gate of the Horses." It was a part of the inner wall of Alficen that surrounded the entire city. Despite the damage caused by the civil war, the arch survived and remained standing.

Not many visitors or residents of Toledo are aware of the small chapel hidden above the Blood Arch that contains an important Christ of the same name. During Holy Week, the chapel opens its windows, and visitors can catch a glimpse of its ancient traditions.

The Blood Arch was originally a gate that connected the Alcazaba with the Medina, and it was called the Alfada Gate (Puerta Alfadá) or the Gate of the Esplanade (Puerta de la Explanada). Its current name comes from the image of the Christ of the Blood that is kept in a small chapel above the horseshoe arch. This chapel was created during the reign of Henry IV, and it follows the Arab custom of placing an oratory over certain doors and arches to ensure a safe journey for anyone leaving the city and passing through the door.

The image of the Christ of the Blood comes from an old brotherhood founded during the times of Sancho III, and the chapel itself has a curious history. Along with the Brotherhood of the Holy Charity, it was founded after the reconquest by the Cid Campeador to assist the poor and provide spiritual and burial assistance. The Christ of the Blood brotherhood focused on spiritual aid, while the Brotherhood of Charity paid for the burial of the executed. The Clavicote, a kind of oval temple covered with a dome, was used to exhibit the corpses of the deceased in the center of Zocodover, looking for alms to facilitate their burial. During events in the square, the Clavicote was moved under the Arch of the Blood.