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Tour Information
SEGOVIA
Having
been a trading centre under the Roman Empire, Segovia reached its
period of greatest splendour during the Middle Ages, on becoming the
court residence of the Trastamaras, as well as an important centre
of livestock and textile activity.
The tour will begin in the Roman aqueduct in Azoguejo square, serves
as the main entrance to the historic quarter of Segovia. This
engineering gem, built under the Roman Empire (1st century AD),
carried water to the elevated city from some 15 Km away. Its 163
arches and its height, some 29 m at its higest point, are supported
by blocks of stone from the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains that are
completely plaster, lead and mortar free.
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The city that is concealed behind the walls reveals some important
Medieval and Renaissance buildings to us, such as Casa de los Picos
house, the Alhóndiga corn exchange and the Torreón de Los Lozoya
tower. The first of these, dating from the 15th century, has a
façade decorated in granite points and is currently home to the
School of Applied Arts and Crafts. The Alhóndiga, the old Gothic
corn exchange, and the Tower, originally a 14th century defensive
structure, are now used to hold cultural exhibitions.
A
stone's throw from the arched Plaza Mayor we come across one of the
last Gothic buildings built in España, the Cathedral. Building began
on it in the 16th century, during the late Gothic period. Some parts
of the old cathedral, such as its flamboyant Gothic cloister, the
choir stalls and the main façade are worthy of special attention.
The San Frutos door, the apse, the main altarpiece (the
Baroque-style work of Sabatini) and the Neo-classical area behind
the choir, the work of Ventura Rodríguez, are more recent features.
The smaller chapels house sculptures by Juan de Juni and Gregoria
Fernández. Names, indeed, that are asssociated with some of the
great Spanish Baroque and Neo-classical works.
At
one end of this walled enclosure you can see the outline of the
Alcázar Fortress, monument which will be visited, behind the Queen
Victoria Eugenia Gardens (this is the spot where the old cathedral
stood). The exterior of the fortress as a whole makes quite an
impact on the visitor given its 80 m high tower, its other twelve
turrets and its defensive moat. Several courtyards and buildings can
be visited, and it is even possible to climb the battlement tower
and admire a panoramic view of the Segovian landscape from this
marvellous vantage point.
Lying between the confluence of the river Eresma and the river
Clamores, the first documented record of the fortress dates back to
Christian writings in the 12th century It was built on top of a
rock, that is testament to its military status.
It
also served as a residence for Alfonso VIII and this was the place
where the Catholic Isabella was proclaimed Queen of Castile. In the
thirteenth century the building took on an air of Gothic elegance
thanks to the work of the Spanish architects, John II and Henry IV.
The last architectural phase was done in 1587 by the architect
Francisco de Mora, possibly in collaboration with Juan de Herrera,
who did the Main Courtyard and the Honour School. In 1764, Charles
II founded the Royal College of Artillery here. The edifice has a
number of secret passageways that lead to the river and connect
several of the city's palaces together.
The Tour
will be followed by a Dinner at Mesón de Cándido.
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