The Alcázar of Segovia is a stone fortification, located in the old city of Segovia, Spain. Rising out on a rocky crag above the confluence of the rivers Eresma and Clamores near the Guadarrama mountains, it is one of the most distinctive castle-palaces in Spain by virtue of its shape - like the bow of a ship. The Alcázar was originally built as a fortress but has served as a royal palace, a state prison, a Royal Artillery College and a military academy since then.The Alcázar of Segovia, like many fortifications in Spain, started off as an Arab fort. The first reference to this particular Alcázar was in 1120, around 32 years after the city of Segovia returned to Christian hands (during the time when Alfonso VI of Castile reconquered lands to the south of the Duero river down to Toledo and beyond). However, archaeological evidence suggests that the site of this Alcázar was once used in Roman times as a fortification. This theory is further substantiated by the presence of Segovia's famous Roman Aqueduct.
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Its one of the curiosities of Segovia that although the huge Roman aqueduct dominates the center of the city little is known about the city in Roman times. Perhaps in part due to the fact that the city has always been a hill top fortification and subsequent generations built on top of preceeding structures.
I hope you don't mind? but for those readers thinking of visiting El Alcazar its a cheap attraction to see at only 4€ to get into. The following page is one I put together for visitors and I hope it serves for those interested:
http://www.uniquespain.com/segovia-castle.html
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