The Alcazar of Segovia is a stone fortress in the old city of Segovia, Spain. It is a unique palace located at the top of Guadarrama Mountains and the fort looks similar to the shape of a ships bow. The Alcazar was built as a fortress and later it was used as royal palace, Royal Artillery College, state prison and military academy.

The construction of the Alcazar was started in the year 1120 and it was finished in the period of the Emperor Alfonso VIII. The Alcazar was built on Roman foundations and also served as the official residence for the family of Emperor Alfonso VIII.

The Alcazar also served as the official residence for the Castile Kingdom sovereigns in the middle ages. Also at this period the Alcazar was extended by the Trastamara dynasty sovereigns. In the year 1258, Emperor Alfonso X rebuilt some of the damaged parts and the Hall of the Kings was added to the Alcazar.

In the year 1587, the sharp slate spires, School of Honor and the main garden were added to the Alcazar by the Emperor Philip II. In the early 17th century the royal court was transferred to Madrid. The Alcazar was converted to a prison and in the year 1762, the Royal Artillery School was founded here. In the year 1862, a major part of the Alcazar was destroyed and in the year 1896, the Emperor Alfonso XIII converted the Alcazar to a military college.

In the present days the Alcazar is one of Spain’s major historical sites. The major rooms to be seen here are the Hall of Ajimeces that features the collection of arts, the Hall of Kings and the Hall of the Throne.

The Alcazar(meaning “palace”) of Seville can be found at this cultural capital of southern Spain. It was originally a Moorish but later converted to a royal palace. The palace was built in the year 1364 and it is also a fine example of the Mudejar architecture.

It is one of the best preserved palaces as the royal family continues to use the upper levels of the palace. The palace is under the administration of Patrimonio Nacional and it is also included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The major blocks in the palace are

Patio de las Doncellas
It is also known as “The Courtyard of the Maidens”. The Patios lower level here was built by Pedro I and also it features a number of inscriptions that displays Pedro I as a sultan. It also features ornamented reception rooms, also there is a pool in the middle with hollow gardens. The courtyard here can also be seen in the movie “Kingdom of Heaven”.

Los Banos de Dona Maria de Padilla
It is also known as “The Baths of Lady Maria de Padiila”.

Garden of Vega Inclan
This garden features 20 flower beds divided by fountains and paths.

Jardin Ingles
It is also known as “English Gardens”. It features a number of plants and a park that was built in the year 1909.

The Plaster Patio
It is the most beautiful garden in the palace. It features a wide variety of flowers and it also stands as a fine example of Almohade architecture.

La Casa de Contratacion
It was the place where the disputed have been settled. It also features a chapel and various paintings that describes about America’s discovery.

The Aqueduct of Segovia is one of Segovia’s important symbols, it can also be seen in the Segovia city’s coat of arms. The aqueducts are located on the Iberian Peninsula and is a part of UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The aqueducts were built by the Romans, the construction dates are not known exactly. Researchers say that the aqueducts were built in between 1st and 2nd centuries CE in the period of Roman Emperors Nerva or Vespasian.

The aqueducts served as the water source for city of Segovia. It transported water from the River Fuente Fria, 17 kilometers from the city. The water traveled about 15 kilometers before entering into the city and later it was stored in a massive tank known as “Big House”. At this period the Segovia Alcazar was built. The highest point in the aqueduct measures a maximum height of 28.5 meters where 3 meters comprises of the foundation. It features 44 double arches, 75 single arches and another four single arches with a total of 167 arches.

The first block of the aqueducts features 36 sharp arches which were restored in the 15th century. It features two levels of arches that are simply ornamented and gives support to the structure. The upper level arches features two levels and these arches are a bit short with 5.1 meters wide compared to the lower level arches. The upper level arches feature the channels for transferring water.

The aqueducts are a major architectural landmark in the city. It continues to function to the present day, in good condition and well preserved.

The Burgos Cathedral is located in Burgos, Spain. The cathedral was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and constructed in a Gothic style in the year 1567. Over the centuries a number of structures were added to it.

The cathedrals construction was commissioned by the Costa del Sol Emperor Ferdinand III. The construction of the cathedral was started in the year 1221 on the site of a Romanesque cathedral. The construction of the massive altar was completed in the year 1260 and the construction of the entire cathedral was completed in the year 1567.

The cathedral is bordered by towers and the spires are wrapped with stonework traceries. The front part of the cathedral features three storeys and three entrances with high arches. The upper storey features statues on pedestals, stone carvings, double arched windows and the statue of Virgin Mary in the middle.

The wide isles and cruciform floorplan is hidden by the chapels built in the 14th century. The three main doors at the entrance feature two outstanding ornamented towers. In addition the chapels, altars and monuments in the cathedral are of great historical importance.

The statue of the Papamoscas is one of the major attractions here and the statue opens its mouth when the bells are ringed for each hour. The octagonal chapel in the cathedral was built in a Flamboyant Gothic style and it was specially built for the graves of Emperor of Castile and his family and Pedro Fernandez de Velasco.

The Burgos Cathedral is the burial place of the military leader Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar. In 1984 the Burgos Cathedral was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Cave of Altamira is situated in the historic town of Santillana del Mar, Cantabria Province, Spain. It is a historic cave that features the polychrome rock painitings of human hands and mammals. Also the cave along with its paintings has been listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The cave measures 296 meters long and features a sequence of chambers. Solutrean deposits belonging to 18,500 years back and Magdalenean belonging to 16,500 years back were discovered in this cave during the archaeological excavations. These relics belong to the period of Old Stone Age or Paleolithic Age. Also this cave was the main shelter for the wild animals in that period.

The images inside the cave were made using ochre and charcoal. The painters also used natural outlines to the paintings to deliver a three dimensional effect.

Among the paintings the Polychrome ceiling is an outstanding structure that displays a group of bison, wild boar and two horses. These arts belong to the Magdalenean period. The Solutrean images feature the images of handprints, goats and horses.

Majority of the paintings were destroyed in between 1960s and 1970s as a result of carbon dioxide usage by the visitors. The cave was closed in the year 1977 and again it was reopened in the year 1982 for a few visitors. In the year 2001, a museum was built close to it which now houses a replica of the cave and some polychrome paintings.

The Costa del Sol is a region to the south of Spain. It is also known as “Coast of the Sun” and it features a number of communities and coastal towns on the seashore of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Costa del Sol is located in between two coasts which are Costa Tropical and Costa de la Luz. In the beginning, Costa del Sol featured fishing settlements and in the 20th century it emerged as one of the major tourist destinations in the world.

The settlements in this region belong to the Bronze Age and later on the region was occupied by the Phoenicians, Romans, Carthaginians, Moors, Visigoths and Vandals.

In the present day the Costa del Sol is an international tourist spot and it attracts millions of tourists every year. The region features a number of restaurants, hotels, fun nightlife and an international airport.

The Museo del Prado is located in Madrid, the capital city of Spain. It is an art gallery and a museum that features one of the best collections of European art starting from the 12th century to the 19th century. The museum feature a collection of sculpture, 5,000 paintings, 2,000 decorative objects and prints, 1,000 medals and coins.

The museum was founded in 1919. The first collections in the museum were the royal arts and the collection rapidly grew, in the year 1918 the museum was enlarged. The main block was extended between 1900-1960 and then again between 1971-1997 a second block was extended. The final structure was added in the year 2007 which is an underground building.

The museum building was constructed at the time of Charles III. The museum was designed by the architect Juan de Villanueva who also designed the City Hall of Madrid and Botanical Gardens.

The museums collection includes 1,300 famous paintings which are also considered as the best in Spanish culture. The museum also showcase a collection of Pablo Picasso’s paintings which were later transferred to the Museo Reina Sofia in the year 1992. The best painting in the museum is the “Las Meninas” by Diego Velazquez.

The ground floor displays a collection of sculptures and paintings dating to the years 1100 to 1600. The collection includes the work of Bosch, Van der Weyden, Durer and Raphael.

The first floor houses a collection of paintings belonging to the years 1550 to 1800. The collection includes the paintings of Titian, Caravaggio, Ribera, Rubens, El Greco, Poussin, Murillo, Velazquez and Goya.

The second floor highlights paintings covering 1700 to 1850. The compilation includes the paintings of Mengs, Watteau, Tiepolo and an extensive collection of Goya.

The museum opens at 9 am and closes at 8 pm. There is an entry fee and the museum is closed on Mondays and on national holidays.

The royal Palace in the city of Madrid is the official residence for the Emperors of Spain. The palace is one of the main attractions in the city and it is Western Europe’s largest palace that covers an area of 135,000 square meters with 2800 rooms.

The palace was built in between the years 1738-1755 on the site of an old castle belonging to the 16th century. The castle was burnt by Emperor Philip V and he commissioned a new palace to be built on the same site. The notable rooms in the palace are

• Hall of Columns
• Throne Room
• Charles III bedroom and chamber
• Charles III antechamber and saleta
• Music Room
• Chins collection
• Imperial Ballroom
• Red reception room
• 252 bedchambers
• Royal Chapel
• Main staircase
• Halberdiers Room
• Green porcelain room
• Blue porcelain room

Today, the Royal Palace is one of the major tourist spots in the city. The palace features a collection of weapons and Royal Armoury belonging to the 13th century. It also features the Stradivarius which is the only complete string quintet in the world. In addition the collection includes several objects made of wood and porcelain.

The other attractions in the palace are the Teatro Real Opera House located to the east of the palace, Plaza de la Armas square to the south, and Sabatini Gardens located to the north.

The palace is open to the public on all the days of the week and is closed when there are state meetings and government receptions.

Santiago de Compostela

Photo by: ReservasdeCoches, Creative Commons

The Santiago de Compostela is in the Northwest of Spain. In the year 2000, the city was listed as a “European City of Culture”. The city served as the capital for the Galicia community is believed to be the place where the Apostle James died. The city is famous for its cathedral and is included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The city was founded around 400 during the fall of Roman Empire. In between the years 711-739 the Arabs took control of the city and finally it was ended in the year 754 when the Visigothic King recaptured the city. Because of its association with the Apostle James, the city has become one of the major pilgrimage destinations for Christians.

In the present day the city covers an area of 220 square kilometers with a population of 100,563. The climate is very cool; rainfall is recorded during the summers and winters. The city also features the University of Santiago de Compostela which is the oldest university in Spain.

The major attractions in the city are:

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

It is one of the famous cathedrals in the world and features the tomb of Saint James.

Catholic Kings Hostel

It was built as a hostel in a Plateresque style. It is a relaxing place for pilgrims, the Castillan coat of arms can also be seen here.

Rajoy Palace

Built in the 18th century, the palace served as a jail and residence for the choir. It also features a statue of St. James with his horse.

Quintana Square

Situated close to the cathedral, the place was used as a cemetery and market in the past. It is also said that the ghosts of the dead can be seen in this place if one travels alone.

Museum of the Galician People

The Museum of the Galician People has a collection of paintings, sculpture and archaeological artifacts. In addition, a number of temporary exhibits can be seen. There is no entrance fee to enter the Museum.

The Seville Cathedral is located in Seville, Spain. The church was built in the 1500s in Gothic styles. It is the largest cathedral in Spain and the world’s third largest cathedral.

Seville Cathedral
The Cathedral features the tomb of Christopher Columbus. This was built to display the wealth of Seville to the other nations. In the year 1511, the cathedrals dome collapsed but later rebuilt.

In 1888, a massive earthquake hit the city and the same dome collapsed, and again rebuilt. The cathedral consists of 80 chapels. The interiors feature Spain’s longest nave with a peak that measures 42 meters high and is emblazoned with gold. In addition, the cathedral feature paintings by Zurbaran and Murillo.

Giralda Tower
The Giralda Tower is the Cathedral’s famous bell tower. The tower measures 97.5 meters high was the world’s tallest tower at the time of its construction. The tower features a statue that measures 4 meters high and is inscribed with Seville’s motto, “NO8DO”(She has not left me).