Its sturdy presence has gone through more than 2,000 years of history, and it is said to have been promoted by fans from Carthage General Hannibal to the Roman Legion.
However, today, the long tradition of sword making in Toledo, Spain has been reduced to only two artisan swordsmen-this is the last living connection with a tradition that dates back thousands of years.
“Swordmaking has a close connection with this city,” Antonio Arellano said. Atesania Arellanos. “If we lose it, it will be a huge loss for this city.”
Centuries ago, as the sword of Toledo rose to fame, the city’s wealth also increased. The industry changed the city’s narrow and winding streets, and hundreds of blacksmiths turned Toledo into one of the most outstanding sword-making centers in the world.
Arellano was born in a large number of blacksmiths and started making swords 30 years ago. This tradition has undergone several major overhauls because the sword has been avoided from ammunition. No longer are customers composed of nobles and swordsmen, they are looking for the best blade that money can buy; instead, the market is focused on tourists who are eager to take home a piece of the famous Toledo steel.
Even so, the historical position of the sword is sufficient to ensure the continuity of the craft. “When I started working, Toledo was a hotbed of sword-making-all the historical centers and surrounding areas were full of workshops,” said Arellano, 69, who was Toledo’s last sword. Master craftsman.
However, in recent years, the number of local swordsmen has begun to decrease as they find themselves competing with mass-produced swords, most of which are made in Asian countries thousands of miles away. Arellano’s handmade swords may take up to six weeks to complete, but they are largely spared.
The remainder of the industry has been cut by the pandemic. “This is a huge blow,” Arellano said. With the cessation of global travel, the crowds of tourists who had been crowded on the steep streets of the city for a long time disappeared. “I have gone through a lot of difficult moments and we have survived, but it feels more serious.”
Earlier this year, Mariano Zamorano, another master swordsman in Toledo, announced his retirement at the age of 70, and the owner of the building where his workshop was located decided to sell the property. After that, the alarm bell began to ring in Toledo.
Zamorano’s family intervened and took over the legendary family business, with the aim of establishing a new workshop in the city in the fall. “The process is still going on,” Santiago Encinas said Sword Mariano Zamorano.
The handcrafted method of swordsmanship is time-consuming and expensive; the steel is heated in an open flame before being stretched, shaped, hammered and polished. Encinas said it takes an average of 15 to 20 hours to complete a sword in this way, and the average cost is 400 to 500 euros.
He ignored reports of the demise of this tradition. “Indeed, it is a product that is not in high demand, and because the demand is low, it is logical that there is no room for everyone,” he said. “We are the people here now, but we won’t be the last.”
His confidence was approved by Arellano, and his son plans to take over the company after he retires. In his case, the probation came from an unexpected source; the renewed interest in history prompted a series of orders for TV series and drama production to seek to create historically accurate scenes.
Recently, Arellano signed an agreement with a theme park depicting historical events, where he will forge and make swords in front of a live audience.
Encinas says this interest hints at what will ultimately keep Toledo’s sword-making tradition alive. “This is a sign, and it will always be a sign. It is a historical tool that people think is very attractive.”
