Segovia, Spain
Coordinates: 40.952476, -4.132509
The Alcázar of Segovia (literally, “Segovia Fortress”) is a medieval castle located in the city of Segovia, a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The alcázar was originally built as a fortress but has served as a royal palace, a state prison, a Royal Artillery College and a military academy since then. It is currently used as a museum and a military archives building.
The Alcázar of Segovia, like many fortifications in Spain, started off as a Roman fort, but apart from the foundations, little of the original structure remains.
A Muslim era fort, which was itself largely replaced by the present structure, was built by the Berber Almoravid dynasty.
Lots of mudejar (Mudéjar was originally the term used for Muslims of Al-Andalus) decor inside with an impressive array of very stunning decorative ceilings.
The exterior is just awesome and the Moorish architecture and style is so beautiful to see.
It was taken over by the kings of Castile in medieval times and a fantastic amalgamation of styles ensued.
Some Facts
On December 13 1474 Princess Isabella emerged from the Alcazar to be proclaimed Queen of Castile.
In 1764 Charles III chose the Alcazar as the home of his newly created Royal Artillary School, the oldest active military academy in the world.
Alcazar is a 11th-century medieval fort where Queen Isabella gave Columbus financial backing for his 1492 voyage.
It is said to have inspired Disney’s fairy-tale castle of Snow white, built to resemble a boat jutting out from a high bluff overlooking the plains.
Know This
If you don’t mind climbing a lot of steps, go up the tower (additional 2 euro cost) for superb views.
