#spain #segovia #alcazar

The Alcázar of Segovia ("Segovia Castle") is a medieval castle located in the city of Segovia, in Castile and León, Spain. Rising out on a rocky crag at the western end of the old town, above the confluence of rivers Eresma and Clamores at the bottom of Sierra de Guadarrama, 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 around the eleventh century by the Almoravid dynasty to serve as a fortress and has subsequently served as a royal palace for twenty-two monarchs, a state prison, a Royal Artillery College, and a military academy. The Old Town of Segovia, including the alcázar, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Today, it is used as a museum and a military archives building since its declaration as a National Archive by a Royal Decree in 1998.

Located nearby Alcázar of Segovia is a Roman Aqueduct of Segovia that was built around the first century AD to channel water from springs in the mountains 17 kilometres away to the city's fountains, public baths and private houses, and was in use until 1973. Its elevated section, with its complete arcade of 167 arches, is one of the best-preserved Roman aqueduct bridges and the foremost symbol of Segovia, as evidenced by its presence on the city's coat of arms. The Old Town of Segovia and the aqueduct, were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

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