Segovia

Segovia is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Segovia in Castile-Leon. It is situated about an hour north of Madrid, at . 54,945 people live in the municipality of Segovia.

Name

Under Roman and Moorish rule, the city was called Segovia (, Ptolemy ii. 6. § 56) and Šiqūbiyyah (Arabic شقوبية) respectively.

History

Originally a town of the Arevaci, it was incorpoated in the Roman province of Hispania Tarraconensis, on the road from Emerita (modern Mérida) to Caesaraugusta (modern Zaragoza). (Itin. Ant. p. 435; Plin. iii. 3. s. 4; Flor. iii. 22.) It minted coins in antiquity, which were later described and cataloged by Enrique Florez.

Sights

The old city is spectacularly situated atop a long, narrow promontory. It contains a wealth of monuments, including the cathedral, a famous ancient Roman aqueduct, the Alcázar, and various churches built in the Romanesque style including San Esteban, San Martin, and San Millan. The old city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Alcázar, or castle-palace, is perched at the tip of the promontory and towering over the countryside below. It was built but the Moors in the 12th century. During the Middle Ages, the Alcazar of Segovia was the favourite residence of kings of Castile, and almost each king added new parts to the building, transforming the original fortress into a courtier residence and prolonging the construction of the castle till 16th century, when King Philip II added the conical spires and the slate roofs. A fire in 1862 destroyed part of the roofs (and only part of the roofs), but they were restored, in the very same style they were built more than 300 years ago.

The church of Vera Cruz, beyond the Alcazar and the city walls was founded by the Knights Templar. It is built in the circular style, a common design of the Templar, in recognition of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

The aqueduct that stands at the entrance of the historic section of Segovia was built at the end of 1st to early 2nd century AD by the Romans during their occupation of the Iberian Peninsula. The aqueduct has become a symbol of the city. It was originally constructed in order to bring water from the Frio River to the city about 18km away, which required it to stretch from the Sierra de Guadarrama to the walls of the old town. Its main part consists of 166 arches, supported by 120 pillars, which cover a distance of 1km (0.6mi). It is made of 20,400 large, rough-hewn granite blocks, joined without mortar or clamps. Its maximum height of 28.1m (100.53ft) is found at the plaza of Azoguejo. A raised section of stonework in the center once had an inscription. Today only the holes for the bronze letters survive.

The Cathedral of Segovia stands in the city's central plaza. Constructed by architect Juan Gil de Hontanon in the late Gothic style between 1522 and 1577, it is widely considered Europe's last great Gothic cathedral.

Owing to these famous monuments, Segovia is a very popular tourist destination, especially as a day-trip from Madrid.

Demography

Transportation

The city of Segovia has recently renovated its urban transportation services, providing trips between the various districts of the city and including a nighttime service. For more information regarding these services: http://www.urbanosdesegovia.com

Image:Segovia.jpg|The Alcázar of Segovia Image:Aqueduct-segovia.jpg|Roman aqueduct in Segovia (19th Century view) Image:Catedral de Segovia.jpg|Gothic Cathedral of Segovia Image:Segovia Vera Cruz.jpg|Vera Cruz Church

Famous Segovians

Food, drink, nightlife

Segovia is famous for its food, drink, and night-life. The oldest tavern in Segovia, is Taberna Rubi. Young people congregate at La Calle de los bares.

References

External links

Ancient mints | Municipalities in Segovia | Roman sites in Spain | World Heritage Sites in Spain | Segovia province

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