Museo del Greco (El Greco Museum), Toledo (must see)

Don Benigno de la Vega-Incian y Flaques, Marquis of Vega-Incian, who died in 1942, was one of the most important patrons of the arts of Spain. He developed several cultural projects serving a public purpose, such as the El Greco Museum (Museo del Greco in Toledo) in 1911, Cervantes' House (the Casas de Cervantes) in Valladolid in 1915, and the Museum of Romanticism (Museo del Romanticismo) in Madrid (1924).

Early in the 20th century, don Benigno bought some houses in the old Jewish section of Toledo. The houses were restored by architect Eladio Laredo and made into a reconstruction of the House of El Greco. Don Benigno created a museum with a historical atmosphere. He lived in the house until he died. It was then bequeathed to the state.

The museum enabled the gathering of works by El Greco scattered throughout Toledo. In 1925 the museum added new rooms to include Spanish paintings of the 17th century. The El Greco Museum is housed in a former hospital with Moorish ceilings. There is 17th-century furniture and pottery from Talavera de la Reina.

The collection features 13 paintings of Christ and his disciples created by El Greco between 1610 and 1614. It was a single project featuring Christ and the apostles, except that Judas is replaced by St Paul. All these works are oil on canvas measuring 97 X 77 cm. El Greco was a Mannerist painter. His real name was Domenikos Theotokopoulos.