Alcázar of Segovia

This Alcázar, a castle-palace, lies in the walled city of Segovia in the province of Segovia in Spain. It's one of the most famous castles in Spain due to the fact that a lot of Spanish kings resided here and because of its beautiful exterior.

The construction of this majestic castle-palace probably began in the last quarter of the 11th century, by King Alfonso VI, following the Reconquest, on a site fortified by the Romans, Visigoths and Moors successively. The great keep, with its dozen semicircular sentry boxes, next to the entrance of the Alcázar over the artificial moat, was the last to be built. A lot of royals resided here, such as; King Ferdinand III, King Alfonso X, King Juan II and King Enrique IV, who all altered the buildings to their liking.

In 1474, in this palace, Isabel was proclaimed Queen of Castile, and Carlos III erected the Royal Artillery College. King Philip II, son of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, established the capital of his kingdom in Madrid but reformed the Alcázar. He altered the roofs, replacing them with the conical slate-covered ones like which he'd seen in Flanders, Belgium.

In 1862 however the Alcázar was devastated by fire. In 1882, it was rebuilt using old sketches of the interior before the fire. So all we see inside today is a 19th century remake. After completion the Alcázar firstly became the Military Archives and later an Artillery Academy and Museum. In the mid-20th century this use also ended and the Alcázar is now used for cultural activities and as a museum. It's state-owned. You can climb the keep for some great views!

The city of Segovia is a great city to visit. I highly recommend it.

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