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Segovia's Aqueduct And Alcázar Draw The VisitorsBy Habeeb Salloum
Set on the northern slopes of the Sierra de Guadarrama, 88 km (55 mi) north of Madrid, Segovia, a town of 60,000, declared as belonging to the Heritage of Mankind by UNESCO, is a natural fortress - a reflection of Castile at its best. The city's location atop a limestone elevation, dominates the Castilian serene grain-producing fields, spread out below.
An important military hub in Roman times, it later became, under the Arabs, a major ceramic and textile center. The city was captured by the Christians in1085 A.D., but these industries have never died out. As in Muslim times, it is today noted for its ceramics, embroideries and fabrics.
The town's inimitable atmosphere invites one to leisurely roam the streets. Strolling along the laneways, one is tantalized by the aroma flowing from the homes of the residents - noted for their excellent cuisine. On weekends the city's restaurants are crowded with Madridians who, besides coming to enjoy Segovia's fine cuisine, travel here to breathe the fresh clear air. Others come to explore the town's many historic buildings, above all its awe-inspiring Roman Aqueduct and Alcázar. Not many cities can lay claim to two renowned sites like Segovia's aqueduct and castle. Since Roman times, visitors have come from far and wide just to view for a while these impressive icons of the city.
The water flows through an underground channel until it reaches the freestanding section of the aqueduct. This consists of 166 arches, supported by 120 pillars, which cover a distance of 1 km (.6 mi). Divided into two tiers, the arches rise to a height of 28 m (100.5 ft), ending at the Plaza Azoguejo. The 20,400 granite massive blocks of the aqueduct are laid without mortar or metal clamps. They are held together by the pressure of the keystones - a perfect equilibrium of forces. The two-tiered part of the aqueduct is known as 'bridge of the Devil'. According to popular legend, the aqueduct was almost built in a single night by the Devil, trying to win, in the darkness, the soul of Juanilla - a sleeping Segovian water-seller. Jolted by an inner feeling, she awoke to find that the aqueduct was almost complete. To save her soul, she fervently prayed to the Virgin Mary. The Virgin answered her prayers and made the sun rise earlier to foil the Devil's plans. Hence, she saved her soul since the Devil did not complete the aqueduct. However, legends aside, the aqueduct is a work of exceptional beauty, giving Segovia a unique aura. Some consider the Alcázar, Segovia's renowned castle, as being more worthy of being the city's number one monument. With a history that goes back to pre-Roman times but which took its present shape in the 12th century, it stands proudly atop a steep-sided crag at the convergence of the Clamores and Eresma Rivers. From the distance, the exterior with its crenellated towers, seemingly carved out cake-icing is very imposing. A magnificent example of old Castilian architecture, with a profile of strength and majesty, it is a fusion of a palace and fortress - a prototype of the many castles in Spain. Through the centuries, it has been occupied by a succession of Castilian monarchs, ranging from Alfonso X the Learned to the Hapsburg and Bourbon kings. Inside its walls there a series of renovated rooms, decorated with a fantastic collection of architecture, dominated by the coffered Mudéjar ceilings. Mudéjar architecture reached its epitome in Castile and in the Alcázar, the Moorish inspired designs are vivid and breathtaking. Here, in the 15th century, the Catholic Queen Isabella of Castile was crowned, and in the 16th century Philip II married his fourth wife, Anne of Austria. In 1862, after being gutted by fire, the palace was completely redone. Only the keep still remains from the original structure. Visiting the castle after touring the city is like placing the last jewel in the crown of Segovia, considered the queen of Castilian towns. From its ramparts, one can dream of history while scanning below the attractive old city which seemingly came to a halt in the 16th century and, beyond the walls, the green countryside, shimmering in the sun. It is a seductive picture, which very few towns can offer. For Further Information Contact:Tourist Office of Spain, 2 Bloor St. W., 34th Floor, Toronto, Ont., Canada M4W 3E2. Tel: 416/961-3131. Fax: 416/961-1992. E-Mail: toronto@tourspain.es Website: www.tourspain.toronto.on.ca The Spanish Tourist Office, 666 5th Ave. 35th, New York, N.Y. 10103, U.S.A. Tel: 212/265-8822. Fax: 212/265-8864. E-mail:oetny@tourspain.es Web: http://www.okspain.org |
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From the city's luxurious Parador,
I gazed across the valley at the city of Segovia - a living replica of
medieval Castilian towns. The Gothic spires of its castle and cathedral, and
the Romanesque towers of its churches, pointing upward from these compact
collection of medieval structures, created a postcard picture of a town
leaping out of history. This breathtaking picture of one of the most
monumental and picturesque towns in Spain brought back to mind the Castilian
landscape of the Middle Ages - a realistic photo of a once warring land. 
It is world-renowned for the ship-like picture it
projects - the Alcázar (castle) at its bow, the spire of its cathedral as
its main mast and the aqueduct its helm. The whole of this fairytale-like
ship is encircled by walls, which are themselves embraced by the Eresma and
Clamores Rivers. 
Segovia's well-kept walls encompass numerous attractive
plazas and a large collection of churches, convents, fortress-like
residences and palaces, incorporating a fantastic collection of Arabic,
Mozarabic, Romanesque, Mudéjar, Renaissance, and Gothic types of
architecture. Edging these splendid structures are many renovated medieval
mansions, bordering tiny narrow streets. At the top of these monuments
stands the splendid 16th century harmonious limestone cathedral. It was
built by Charles V in late Gothic style after an older one had been
destroyed in a rebellion led by Juan Bravo whose statue today stands in one
of the city's Plazas. 
Historically, Segovia has been noted for its aqueduct -
a masterpiece of Roman ingenuity and the most emblematic of all the city's
structures. It was built in the 1st century A.D. under the reign of the
Emperor Trajan and is one of the two largest surviving Roman structures in
Spain - the other being the walls of Tarragona. The city's leading monument,
it is one of the greatest surviving examples of Roman engineering, which
until a few years ago was still in use. For some 2,000 years, this hulking
aqueduct brought potable water to the city from the Frio River, 16 km (10
mi) away.