Alcázar of Segovia

Access

The castle can be reached by the following routes:

• from the historic centre of Segovia with a signposted urban pedestrian route, difficulty T, difference in altitude 0mD+, walking time 0h15'

Introduction

The Alcázar of Segovia, also known as Segovia Castle, occupies a dominant position on a rocky outcrop at the confluence of the Eresma and Clamores rivers, on the edge of the city's historic centre. Its origin probably lies in an earlier fortification from Roman or Visigothic times, but the current layout took shape from the 12th century onwards, when it became one of the main fortified residences of the kings of Castile. Over the centuries, the complex fulfilled different functions, alternating between being a royal residence and a state prison and, in more recent times, a military academy, always remaining closely linked to the political history of the kingdom.

Description

In architectural terms, the Alcázar has a complex structure, the result of successive construction phases that integrated Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance elements. Its profile is made unmistakable by the slender towers with conical slate roofs, giving the whole a vertical and compact appearance. The central body houses reception rooms and residential halls, while the Tower of Juan II, one of the most imposing elements, also served as a control and watchtower. The interior conserves wooden coffered ceilings, heraldic decorations and furnishings related to the Castilian monarchy, testimony to the representative function of the complex.

The history of the castle is linked to prominent figures of the Crown of Castile, including Isabel of Castile, who was proclaimed queen inside the Alcázar in 1474. A fire in the 19th century seriously damaged the structure, but subsequent restoration work faithfully reconstructed the compromised parts, restoring the complex to its historical appearance that still characterises it today. Today, the Alcázar is open to the public as a museum and is in an excellent state of conservation. The tour includes the historical rooms, the defensive spaces and the ascent to the main tower, from which there is a wide view over the city of Segovia and the Castilian Meseta.

Because of its scenic location and particularly recognisable fortified profile, the Alcázar of Segovia has entered the collective imagination as one of the iconographic models of the European medieval castle, often cited as a source of inspiration for the fantastic representation of fortified architecture.

Information

Collections

• Fortified castles - on the map
• Castles in Spain - on the map
• Large European castles - on the map