For some reason, out of all the cool places I was going to visit during my trip to Castilla y León in central Spain, Segovia was one of the places I was excited about the most.
You could say that Segovia has three must-see monuments; the Roman Aqueduct, the Cathedral and its famous castle, known as el Alcázar de Segovia.
So what exactly is an alcázar?
Well, alcázar is a Spanish word of moorish origin, used to designate a castle or fortified palace.
Segovia’s Alcázar is a fortified royal residence that dates back some 800 years, to the time when Castile was under by Muslim rule.
The steep, nearly insurmountable hill where it stands, right on the confluence of Eresma and Clamores Rivers, and its robust stone walls turned it into one of the most important and strategic defensive points for both Moorish and Christian Kings well into the 19th century.
Muslim fortress, defensive castle, royal residence for the Kings of Castile, military school and attraction-museum are some of the uses that the building has had through the centuries.
However, the castle didn’t always look as amazing as it does today.
At first, the impressive castle we see now was nothing but a wooden watch tower. The construction of a stone structure began with the reconquest of Segovia by the Christians during the 13th century. This first building would more or less determine the current distribution of the Alcázar. Throughout the years, new sections and towers were added to the main fortress, ending with the construction of the New Tower, the tallest in the complex, located on the western end of the castle.
The steep slate roofs and spires were added in the 16th century by King Philip II who wanted a bit of a Central European feel added to the castle.
As a fun fact, the Alcázar served as an inspiration for Walt Disney’s Cinderella’s Castle. The resemblance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is also patent.
The best views of Alcázar de Segovia
Although you can get amazing views of the castle from almost any point in the city, one of the best lookouts is located west of the city, right on the Eresma and Clamores valley.
Here you can find the Parque del Alcázar and there’s a small hill nearby that you can hike to and acts as a panoramic viewpoint of the castle and the surrounding area.
The great thing about this part of town is that it’s relatively tourist-free.
The panoramic viewpoint is located on a hill right next to the Camino de la Cuesta de Hoyos, it’s a 30 minute hike, well signposted and with a low difficulty level.
