The Centre for Studies on Islamic Toledo (Islamic Culture Foundation) continues collaborating with the Museo de Santa Cruz in Toledo (Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha – JCCM) to promote the city’s Andalusi past. On this occasion, the initiative has involved the installation of the Andalusi botanical trail in the institution’s green spaces, which can be enjoyed uninterruptedly from 21st November.
Through the planting of a carefully selected collection of fourteen plant species recovered from technical treatises, such as that of Ibn Baṣṣal of Toledo, or from archaeological findings, the public will approach the knowledge that was gathered or even renewed in this period of the Iberian Peninsula to promote land care. The former Hospital of Santa Cruz, now the seat of the provincial museum, is an ideal location for this, as it stands on part of the Andalusi palatial complexes of the capital of Castilla-La Mancha.
Carmen Teresa Olmedo, Vice-Counsellor of Culture and Sports (JCCM), pointed out that ‘thanks to those treaties that turned Toledo into the centre of agronomic knowledge, we have been able, both in the Sephardic Museum and here, to define those varieties that we have planted’.
The inaugural event featured speeches by the director of the Museo de Santa Cruz, Antonio Dávila; Carmen Álvarez, director of the Museo Sefardí; and Encarnación Gutiérrez, Secretary General of the Islamic Culture Foundation (FUNCI), who emphasised that with this project, “We are planting heritage. Trees with their characteristics, as well as medicinal plants and others, provide benefits regardless of their association with any religion or culture.” The event was concluded by the Vice-Councillor, Carmen Teresa Olmedo.
“We are planting heritage. Trees with their characteristics, as well as medicinal plants and others, provide benefits regardless of their association with any religion or culture.”
After this welcome, which also included the Cultural Attaché of the Moroccan Embassy in Spain, Ahmed Ait Belaid, a total of four groups were formed for a guided tour led by Segundo Ríos, director of the Estación Biológica de Torretes (University of Alicante); Pablo Ferrandis, director of the Jardín Botánico de Castilla-La Mancha (Albacete); Sergio Isabel, Scientific Coordinator of the Centre for Studies of Islamic Toledo (FUNCI); and Aurora Ferrini, Project Coordinator of the Islamic Culture Foundation (FUNCI).
This initiative was made possible not only thanks to the Islamic Culture Foundation and its close collaboration with the museum but also with the support of the association Museo de Santa Cruz, ¡Vivo!, the aforementioned institutions, and the involvement of citizens who actively participated in the planting days leading up to the event.
The trail will be expanded, within Toledo’s museum network, with the inauguration in 2025 of the section on which the Museo Sefardí has been working together with FUNCI.
News headlines:
- Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (21/11/2024). El Gobierno regional y el Centro de Estudios sobre Toledo Islámico acercan el pasado andalusí del Museo de Santa Cruz a través de su flora. https://cultura.castillalamancha.es/museos/actualidad/el-gobierno-regional-y-el-centro-de-estudios-sobre-toledo-islamico-acercan-el-pasado-andalusi-del?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaaG0o5E20jqLops3oPqFYPzR4dLCjqEWru2ugwym6tOx_0Wslo1GC8oGag_aem_A8zxHI-lJAt7HuV27AOsig
- Acero, Sara. (21/11/24). El Museo de Santa Cruz expone el legado botánico de la España islámica con un itinerario. Encastillalamancha. https://www.encastillalamancha.es/castilla-la-mancha-cat/toledo-el-museo-de-santa-cruz-expone-el-legado-botanico-de-la-espana-islamica-con-un-itinerario/
- Bachiller, Carmen. (23/11/2024). Un itinerario botánico para reivindicar la cultura andalusí en Toledo: “Aquí empezó al-Ándalus. https://www.eldiario.es/castilla-la-mancha/cultura/itinerario-botanico-reivindicar-cultura-andalusi-toledo-empezo-andalus_1_11840835.html
- (21/11/24). El legado botánico de la España islámica, en un itinerario en los jardines del Museo de Santa Cruz. Toledo Diario. https://toledodiario.es/el-legado-botanico-de-la-espana-islamica-en-un-itinerario-en-los-jardines-del-museo-de-santa-cruz/
- (21/11/24). El Museo de Santa Cruz expone el legado botánico de la España islámica con un itinerario de sus plantas más destacadas. Europa Press. https://www.europapress.es/castilla-lamancha/noticia-museo-santa-cruz-expone-legado-botanico-espana-islamica-itinerario-plantas-mas-destacadas-20241121123023.html
- Monroy, J. (21/11/24). Toledo recupera su vegetación andalusí. La Tribuna de Toledo. https://www.latribunadetoledo.es/noticia/z17acff41-d30c-5a2b-648c03b9abaa5ec1/202411/toledo-recupera-su-vegetacion-andalusi
- Ramírez, Francisca. (24/11/2024). Toledo revive su pasado andalusí a través de la flora y sus plantas. ABC Toledo. https://www.abc.es/espana/castilla-la-mancha/toledo/toledo-revive-pasado-andalusi-traves-flora-plantas-20241122193914-nt.html
This post is available in: English Español