| Segovia:
The Alcazar | |
The Alcazar of Segovia, the capital of Segovia Province was built in the late
eleventh century by King Alfonso VI of Castilla (1072-1109) on a site to the west
of the town above the confluence of the Eresma and Clamores rivers. Alfonso based
his castles in part on the Moorish Alcazar of Toledo. Rebuilt in the 1333s and
expanded a century later, this castle was severely damaged by fire in 1862 but
was restored later in the century. The Alcazar has the appearance of a fairy-tale
castle with its many conical spires. It is possible to visit the Alcazar. | | |
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| Coca
(Segovia): Castillo de Coca | |
Built around 1400 for Archbishop Alfonso de Fuesca of Seville, the Castillo de
Coca, in Segovia, remained the property of the Fonseca family for many centuries.
Built of brick with three sets of walls, Coca is a particularly fine example of
the Mudejar (Moorish) style of architecture. | | |
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| La
Mota (Valladolid) |
This
dominating and golden castle, which lies 43km from the capital of
the province, and which was restored in the present century, was designed
as it stands today by the master builder Fernando Carreno, who carried
out important works at the site in the 15th century building which
was of Mudejar origin. It is made of brick and has a polygonal plan.
The walls have round towers and loopholes. There is a barbican around
the bailey, with merlons and underground passages all round, as well
as embrasures for a perfect defence. A drawbridge which is immobile
today used to lead up to the gates above which there is a splendid
coat of arms of the Catholic Monarchs, with the yolk and arrows and
their motto, ie, the Gordian knot. The double line of walls has merloned
platforms with loop-hole like windows and machicolation along the
top part.
Behind all these defences the castle as such had sumptuous halls and
rooms, which have almost completely disappeared today. Only some remains
of the decoration are reminiscent of their elegance. Of all these
rooms, the most famous one is the one that is popularly known by the
name of “Dressing room of the Queen”, where according
to the legend Queen Dona Juana, “la Loca” (The Mad One),
spent her days looking out over the roads, in the grip of melancholy
and waiting for her husband Felipe “el hermoso” (the Handsome
One) to appear, he who was at the root of her afflictions. |
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| Cuéllar
(Segovia) | Built
in the 15th Century by D. Beltrán de la Cueva, favourite of King Henry
IV, and first Duke of Alburquerque. It was finished by his descendants in the
16th Century, being still property of the Dukes of Alburquerque, it lodges the
Archive of their House, as well as a Public Secondary School and cultural celebrations.
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