The Three Main Attractions Of Segovia

A modest Spanish town, Segovia, is located 90 kilometers north-west of Madrid. It was founded by the Romans in 80 BC and retained a part of its historical essence to this day. Now Segovia is not only the administrative center of a small province of the same name but also a place of pilgrimage for tourists from all over the world. What is so attractive this Castilian city? It’s all about his three main attractions.

We will tell you about the three main attractions of Segovia

Aqueduct

Here is the longest surviving aqueduct in Western Europe. Its length is more than 728 meters. The aqueduct was erected during the reign of Emperor Vespasian in the first century of our era. Although the exact date of construction is still unknown.

A curious fact – in the city for a long time there was a legend that this aqueduct helped to build the devil himself. According to the residents, this was the case.

A poor girl lived in Segovia, who every day had to carry water to rich aristocrats. At some point, she was totally tired of all this. Then she turned for help to Satan. The devil agreed to build an aqueduct and save it from the need to constantly carry water. The deal was quite standard: help in exchange for the soul. The girl without any hesitation accepted the conditions, putting forward one of her own, – the work should be completed before dawn.

Shook hands, and the devil set to work. When the aqueduct was almost built, the girl abruptly changed her mind. Does it happen to everyone? She prayed to the holy Virgin Mary and begged for forgiveness. Prayer had an effect. The devil did not have time to complete the aqueduct and was left with nothing. And the people of Segovia received the unlimited flow of water from mountain rivers.

Information for tourists

Cost: absolutely free.

What to see: pay attention to the magnificent masonry. The aqueduct consists of 20,400 blocks, which are held at the expense of its own weight. In the evening you can watch the bats. They live in crevices between the stones and often fly out.

How to get there: the aqueduct passes right through the center of the city, you will definitely not miss it.

Alcazar fortress

The magnificent Spanish fortress is located on a cliff near the confluence of the Eresma and Clamores rivers. It was founded at the beginning of the 12th century. In the Middle Ages, the Alcazar was the favorite residence of the Castilian kings. After the royal court moved to Madrid, the fortress became a state prison. This went on for more than two hundred years. In 1762, King Charles the Third founded an artillery school at the base of the Alcazar. The fortress entered the 20th century as the building of the Main Military Archive, and from 1953 it received the status of a museum.

Information for tourists

Cost:

• Palace and Museum of Artillery – 5.50 euro;
• Visit the highest tower – 2 euro;
• Full ticket – 7.50 euro.

What to see: an exhibition of weapons, historical interiors, works of art.

Getting there: you need to move to the northwest of the city. The entrance to the fortress is located at Plaza Reina Victoria Eugenia (on the map).

St. Mary’s Cathedral

Segovia became home to the last Gothic cathedral of Europe. The fact is that it was founded only in 1525. The construction took more than 50 years. It so happened that by the time this large-scale construction was finished, the Renaissance was already in the yard.

The size of the cathedral is impressive: 105 meters long, 50 meters wide, 33 meters high. The bell tower rushes into the sky at 88 meters. This is the highest point in the city. It can be seen from almost anywhere. Initially, it was even higher, since the top of the bell tower was crowned with a spire. But in 1614, lightning hit the tower directly, pretty scaring people and causing a fire. The townspeople considered this a bad sign and replaced the spire with a dome.

There is a museum at the cathedral, where you can see rare jewelry, medieval manuscripts and the pride of Segovia – the first book of the city made in 1472.

Information for tourists

Cost:

• The total ticket costs 3 euro;
• On Sunday from 9.30 to 13.15, you can visit the cathedral for free.

What to see: be sure to pay attention to the stained glass windows and wonderful vaults. Visit the chapel and the local museum. At the moment, taking pictures inside is prohibited, but this rule is rarely respected.

Getting there: the cathedral is exactly halfway between the aqueduct and the fortress. It is very noticeable and you are unlikely to get lost. But as a guide, use this address: Calle del Marqués del Arco,

How to get to Segovia?

There are three ways to get from Madrid to Segovia:

Intercity bus

Buses depart from Principe Pio bus station (on the map) every 30-60 minutes. It all depends on the time of day. The bus station in Segovia is located near the historic center of the city. Very convenient for tourists.

Train

There are two options: fast and cheap. You can take the ABE speed train, which leaves from Estación de Atocha (on the map). Just 30 minutes and you are in Segovia. But the problem is that the train arrives at the station Segovia-Guiomar, which is located a few kilometers from the main attractions. There, of course, there is a bus and a lot of taxis, but still not very convenient.

But if you reach the Chamartín station in Madrid and take the C-8 train or train, the trip will take you a little longer, but all the pleasure will cost you about 6 euro’s one way.

Car

If you rent a car, you can get to Segovia on one of two toll roads (AP-6 / AP-61) or toll-free (A-1).