Alcazar of Segovia . It is located at the confluence of the Clamores and Eresma rivers, adapting to the rock on which it rises, forming more or less a pointed rectangle. From here, you can see a wonderful view of the Vera Cruz church , the town of Zamarramala and the Parral Monastery . Declared a World Heritage Site in 1985 .
Summary
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- 1 Story
- 2 Description
- 3 rooms
- 4 Legends
- 5 Sources
History
The situation of the Alcázar de Segovia, on a rock carved by the Eresma and Clamores rivers , indicates the military origin of this fortress for centuries impregnable. The oldest evidence of the existence of the Alcázar de Segovia is a document from the beginning of the 12th century , dated in ( 1122 ), shortly after the reconquest of the city by Alfonso VI , who mentions the fortress as a fort on the Eresma. In a somewhat later letter ( 1155) is already given the name of Alcázar. However, it is very likely that the fortification existed in more remote times, perhaps since Roman rule, since in recent excavations granite ashlars similar to those of the Aqueduct have been found .
In the Middle Ages , the Alcázar, both for the beauty of its location and its indisputable military security, and for the proximity to famous hunting grounds in the mountain forests, became one of the favorite residences of the Kings of Castile.
No notable architectural vestiges of this Royal Palace have been found before the time of Alfonso VIII “el de Las Navas”, approximately at the end of the 12th century and the beginning of the 13th century . However, the truth is that the process that progressively turns the fortress into a court residence is consolidated. The reform was made when the transition from Romanesque to Gothic began , with the elegant sobriety of the Cistercian style. Undoubtedly, at this time, the great north side bay, made up of a large room flanked at the ends by cabinets, in the oriental style, called the “Palacio Mayor” room. To the same constructive impulse, which constitutes the nucleus of the Alcázar, corresponds the great west tower, called “Del Homenaje”, with its room covered in pointed cannon, which served as a weapons room, and its sprouted windows. Despite the Cistercian tone of these buildings, the Moorish appears in the pictorial decoration, with red painted skirting boards on the light stucco background.
Alfonso X the Wise showed an extreme predilection towards Segovia and made the Alcázar one of his favorite residences, until the last years of his life, in which Cortes celebrated in this city that had remained faithful to him.
In the fourteenth century , Segovia witnessed fighting between noble groups to which the Alcazar was not oblivious, forcing the new employment of artillery to reinforce its walls and expand its defensive system.
The kings of the Trastamara dynasty took advantage of the new bay, built parallel to the original one, to turn it into a sumptuous set of salons in the style of the Andalusian alcazars. The Gothic-Mudejar decoration of these rooms begins with Queen Catherine of Lancaster , regent of her son John II . During the latter’s reign, the great court festivals evoked by Jorge Manrique in his famous “Coplas” Enrique IV took place in the Alcázar, so loving of Segovia, she continued to beautify him and in her reign the great tower that bears the name of her father must have been completed. in the Plaza Mayor . This castle was also important in the civil struggles of all successive times, from the reign of Juana la Loca and the War of the communities to the War of Succession in the 18th century and the Carlist wars in the 19th century .
The kings of the House of Austria visited him frequently and Felipe II celebrated in him the wedding of vigils with his fourth wife, Ana de Austria . This king carried out important works in the Alcazar, such as the Herrerian courtyard or covering the roofs with sharp slate spiers in the style of Central European castles.
Later the fortress begins to be used as a state prison, where important characters were confined. It remained that way until in 1762 Carlos III founded the Royal Artillery College in Segovia , whose first Director was Count Félix Gazola , remaining installed in the Alcázar in 1764 . This center remained here, with slight parentheses until March 6, 1862, the day on which a fire destroyed the roofs. From this date the College, then the Artillery Academy, passed to the Convent of San Francisco de Segovia , El Alcázar was restored, in 1898 the General Military Archive was installed on the first floor of the building and in 1953The Alcázar de Segovia Board of Trustees , responsible for the current Museum, was created.
Description
The Segovia fortress is divided into two nuclei. The first is formed by a Herrerian courtyard with a moat, the drawbridge, the keep, and two circular cubes with spiers. The second is the interior and has a wonderful chapel and the noble rooms of the Galera, las Piñas and the Tocador de la Reina. In addition, it has four floors with lofts and large basements.
The Kings room stands out, which is decorated with a coffered ceiling of golden hexagons and diamonds and with a curious frieze with 52 polychrome and seated images. In the throne room, a beautiful Mudejar dome and Gothic-Mudejar plasterwork stand out. Its walls are covered with velvet and with portraits of different kings.
The keep is built by John II in the midst of the transition from Romanesque to Gothic. It reaches 80 meters high and is decorated with beautiful sgraffito and twelve magnificent turrets. It is accessed through a passageway. During the reign of Felipe II, the roofs were covered with original slate spiers.
The tower of Alfonso X el Sabio stands out, from which the monarch studied the sky, and the marvelous interior rooms decorated with Mudejar coffered ceilings and rich plasterwork.
In the chapel you can see a magnificent Mudejar coffered ceiling and some artistic stained glass windows made by the Segovian artist Muñoz de Pablos. Likewise, we find two altarpieces, one from the 16th century from the Castilian school and another Gothic dedicated to Santiago Apóstol. The painting of the Adoration of the Kings by Bartolomé Carduccio stands out.
Rooms
This noble building preserves several rooms restored and conditioned to recreate the splendor of bygone days, with coffered ceilings, furniture, armor, tapestries, paintings, etc.
Where different styles follow one another: Romanesque , Gothic , Mudejar and Renaissance .
- Old Palace Room
- Fireplace Room
- Throne or Solius Room
- Galley Room
- Pineapple Room
- Royal Chamber
- Kings room
- Cordón Room
- Chapel
- Weapons Room
- Museum of the Royal College of Artillery
- Tower of Juan II
Legends
- The central balcony of the Sala de los Reyes shows a cross that recalls an event of which two versions have curdled over the centuries.
- The most legendary tells that, while the infant D. Pedro de Castilla, son of Enrique II el de las Mercedes, was on the balcony in the arms of his aya, he slipped and fell into the void. The aya, terrified, launched herself after the boy.
- The historical version indicates that the 12-year-old boy fell while playing ball with his friends.
