Alcázar of Segovia
Alcázar of Segovia is a palace and fortress, which is located in the Spanish city of Segovia. This majestic castle rises on a rock at the confluence of two rivers. Its huge structure with towers similar to the masts of ships is reflected in the waters of the rivers Erezma and Clamores. Translated from Arabic, it means « strength ».
For the first time, the castle was mentioned in the 12th century, it was a wooden fortress. Later they rebuilt into a stone castle with strong defensive walls. It is connected to the river and some urban facilities by underground crossings.
For the entire period, Alkazar in Segovia changed his purpose – fortress at the beginning of the building, then the royal palace, state prison, the royal artillery academy and the museum for today.
In the Middle Ages, this was the favorite place of the kings of Castile, where the most important events in their life were committed, such as the coronation of Isabella the Catholic, her wedding. In the 16th century, when Phillip III ruled, borrowing from Central Europe, the appearance of the castle took on a fabulous look. At this time, the apartments of the palace expanded significantly. The structure of the castle was formed during the reign of the royal dynasty, as a result of which there is a variety of styles in the interior.
In the 19th century there was a fire, they made considerable efforts to carry out restoration work.
Today, 11 halls are open for visiting at the Alkazar Museum, in which you can consider ancient exhibits, antique furniture, a collection of weapons and knightly armor, stained glass and paintings.
You can visit the chapel, as well as the highest point of the castle – the tower named after Juan II, with which the adjacent park, the territory of neighboring villages and the mountain of Guadarrama open in the eye.
The most popular premises in Alkasar is the Throne Hall, decorated in Moorish style with the presence of red-beam colors. In its center a throne is being waged. Equally important is the Royal Hall. A collection of portraits of the royal dynasty has been collected under the ceiling. The most significant events took place here. An interesting room is the Galera Hall, which resembles an inverted ship in shape. The weapons collection is assembled in the next room. In the room of Schnur, the main element of the decor is the Franciscan cord. The hall of the cones got its name from the decorated ceiling in the form of bumps.
Alcazar is the main attraction of Segovia and the hallmark of Spain.
