Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct, Spain
N 40° 56.883 W 004° 07.084
30T E 405894 N 4533591
The old city is spectacularly situated atop a long, narrow promontory. It contains a wealth of monuments, including the cathedral, a famous ancient Roman aqueduct, the Alcázar, and various churches built in the Romanesque style.
Waymark Code: WM28F6
Location: Castilla y León, Spain
Date Posted: 09/22/2007
Views: 85
The coordinates indicate the UNESCO plaque next to the aquaduct.
The Alcázar, or castle-palace, is perched at the tip of the promontory and towering over the countryside below. The history of the Alcázar begins at the end of the 11th century, in the time when king Alfonso VI reconquered lands to the south of the river Duero down to Toledo and beyond. The city of Segovia was repopulated, and it is thought that the construction of the castle began at those times. During the Middle Ages, the Alcazar of Segovia was the favourite residence of kings of Castile, and almost each king added new parts to the building, transforming the original fortress into a courtier residence and prolonging the construction of the castle till 16th century, when King Philip II added the conical spires and the slate roofs. A fire in 1862 destroyed part of the roofs, but they were restored, in the very same style they were built more than 300 years ago.
The aqueduct, typically the most recognized and famous symbol of Segovia, terminates at the entrance of the historic section. It was built at the end of 1st to early 2nd century BC by the Romans during their occupation of the Iberian Peninsula to bring water from the Río Frío (Cold River)(about 18 km away) to the city, requiring an elevated section in its last 1 kilometer (0.6 mi) from the Sierra de Guadarrama to the walls of the old town. This elevated section, largely dominating the nearby scene, is supported by an engineering marvel of 166 arches and 120 pillars in two levels. It is made of 20,400 large, rough-hewn granite blocks, joined without mortar or clamps. Its maximum height of 28.1 m (100.53 ft) is found at the plaza of Azoguejo. A raised section of stonework in the center once had an inscription. Today only the holes for the bronze letters survive.
The Cathedral of Segovia stands in the city's central plaza. Constructed by architect Juan Gil de Hontanon in the late Gothic style between 1522 and 1577, it is widely considered Europe's last great Gothic cathedral. The kind of Gothic is called Isabelino
Owing to these famous monuments, Segovia is a very popular tourist destination, especially as a day-trip from Madrid.
Until December 2007, it is necessary to take a Madrid suburban train (Cercanías) taking a little less than 2 hours to reach Segovia. I understand as of December 2007, the high speed train network will reach Segovia which should significantly reduce the the time.
Type: Site
Reference number: 311
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