The Spanish Inquisition: one of the most mysterious and bloody institutions of European history to date, its brutal reign weighed heavy over Spain like a curse. In the name of religious orthodoxy, the ruthless founders of the Inquisition oversaw the torture, repression and banishment of hundreds of innocent and terrified people. What began as an attempt to protect the sanctity of the Catholic church and the morality of the populace swiftly became an oppressive regime and would eventually leave a dark shadow on the landscape of Spain’s history. On this spine-chilling tour we explore the mysteries and legacies of the Spanish Inquisition, visiting key areas of the city which were the setting for this bloody tribunal. Your guide will expose the truth about the four long centuries where the Institution loomed over the city. Discover the real motives behind the foundation of the Spanish Inquisition and the people who ran it, the gruesome and cruel torture methods they employed, and the people who they made their victims. With death tolls of an estimated 3000+ people, this era embodies a dark and troubling relic in the culture of Spain. On the tour we hear true stories of what happened in these very streets and buildings: we visit the old, now haunting jail of the Inquisition, and the site of one particularly dramatic mass trial. As we learn the history of the period and its Zeitgeist, we trace the origins and influence of the ‘Black Legend’ myth which influenced the way the Inquisition was perceived overseas. The climate of paranoia and persecution the Spanish Inquisition created was so overwhelming that its reputation outgrew its reality and it became what we know of it today: much-referenced but little understood. *Average tour length. The independent guides with whom we work have your best interests in mind; while the tour usually includes the sites and stories above and lasts this long, your tour may vary depending on what your guide thinks is best for your group!