Sleepless in Segovia

Vista from the alcazar showing the Segovia Cathedral and Sierra Guaderrama.

Following a two-and-a-half hour bus ride on little sleep, I thought I was going to sleep through my time in Segovia. At the end of the day, however, I was still sleepless...but I struck gold. A day in Segovia made for an unforgettable experience. I craned my neck to see the buttresses and flemish stained glass windows of its 16th century cathedral. I walked a matter of yards to its first century Roman aqueduct. And I turned a corner to face its brilliant Alcazar. To a visitor unfamiliar with Segovia, down streets in any direction from the plaza mayor await sights that contend with the imagination.

Catedral

Inside the Segovia Cathedral.

Adorned with flemish stained-glass windows, three Gothic vaults, and a bell tower, this chapel finished out the era of Gothic style with a flourish. My favorite part in this free visit was exploring the 20 chapels. Filled with triptych paintings and sculptures, this is like a box of chocolates for aspiring artists. Each exhibition showcases something different from the solemnity of a reclining Christ figure in "Capilla del Cristo Yaciente" to a reredo (decoration around an altar) by José Benito Churriguera. After having some struggles with the audio guide, I had to do some research myself.

Acueducto 

Soaking in the sun by the acueducto.

This aqueduct built by the Romans without mortar, relies on equilibrium and gravity for support. Originally, I thought the aqueduct, which spans for several kilometers, was made of arches but, in fact, arches were only placed where needed to keep the aqueduct level—meaning the Romans cut through hills and built arches over dips in terrain to create this transport system. I thought one of the most awesome parts of the visit was looking at the holes drilled into the side of the rocks for a pulley system used by the builders. A pincer (for all intents and purposes) was placed onto the rock and when force was applied, the pincers contract, boring holes into either side of the rock and then allowing workers to lift the rocks with ease. Just knowing that those holes demonstrate a crucial construction innovation making this structure possible made my respect for their focused creative abilities rise even more. My favorite architectural piece I've seen in Spain thus far. Period. End of discussion. I liked this aqueduct so much so, in fact, that hope to make it down to Mérida to look at the aqueduct there as well—comprised of brick and stone, but not nearly as well preserved.

Alcázar

Impressive facade of the alcazar
(all but original—since it has been rebuilt time and time again)

The Alcázar (castle) of Segovia projects out of a rocky cliff in Segovia. Often thought of as inspiration for the Disney logo and castle, the building was originally an Arab fortress and was later used frequently as a residence for the royals of Castilla y Leon. After that, the purpose of the fort again changed—becoming the Royal Artillery School in the 18th century and, a century later, the Alcazar was made into a military college.

The sheer size of the building, and the high bridge leading into the fortress, demonstrated to me how perfect this would have been as a point of defense for the Arabs. The area open to visitors shows the range of usage seen by the building from the monarch's throne room and armory (adorned with full suits of armor as well as crossbows, swords, and halberds) room used by the Royal Artillery School. As the group finished walking through the many rooms, we ascended the 150 steps up the "torre nuevo" or John II tower and found an unbelievable panoramic view including the city and cathedral along with the sierras in the distance and expansive plains and rolling hills to the west.

On top of the alcazar with Segovia in the background.

The little things:

-Looking at the gazebo in the plaza mayor and turning 180 degrees to see the cathedral. I really like the juxtaposition of vibrant daily life (vida cotidiana) and remnants of the past.

-Sharing a bag of roasted chestnuts as the temperature dropped.

-Savoring each bite of a chocolate covered cone filled with nata (in this case, a type of whipped cream)

-Realizing that my bus driver shared an uncanny resemblance to Harrison Ford (check slideshow for a photo)

-Listening to Spanish students talk about their anatomy test on the way back to Salamanca...a reminder that kids (even in the land of enchantment) stress out about school.