The House Museum of the famous Spanish painter El Greco is located in the Jewish quarter of Toledo. The outstanding Renaissance painter, known for his original, unique style of painting, was a native of Crete. At the age of 35 he entered the service of the King of Spain, some time later moved to Toledo, where he spent the rest of his life. It was here that the artist created most of his masterpieces.
The building where the artist's museum is located today is not actually his home, as the true house where the artist lived was destroyed in a fire. On the initiative of the Marquis de la Vega Inclan, a building dating back to the 16th century and very close to the artist's true home was restored at the beginning of the 20th century. Here, the painter's house was recreated as it was during his lifetime. The artist's personal belongings that survived the fire, some pieces of furniture and, of course, his outstanding canvases were moved here. The museum opened its doors to visitors on 12 June 1911.
The idea behind the museum, promoted by prominent figures of the time, was to preserve as much as possible the masterpieces of the great master, actively exported abroad and widely acquired by collectors. Today in the museum you can see such outstanding works by El Greco as "The Lament of St Peter", "Apostleship", "San Bernardino" and many others. The museum also exhibits works by painters and sculptors of Spain from the 16th and 17th centuries, among which the paintings of El Greco's pupil Luis Tristan occupy a special place..
