Segovia

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Segovia
Coat of Arms
...
Location
Location of Segovia in Spain
Coordinates : 40°57′N 4°10′W / 40.95°N 4.167°W / 40.95; -4.167
Administration
Country	Spain
Autonomous Community	[[ Castilla y León|Castilla y León]]
Province	Segovia
Mayor	Pedro Arahuetes (PSOE)
Geography
Land Area	163'6 km2
Altitude	1002 m AMSL
Population
Population	54,945 (2003)
Density	340,1 hab./km2 ()
General information
Native name	Segovia (Spanish)
Spanish name	Segovia
Time zone	CET (GMT +1)
- summer	CEST (GMT +2)
Postal code	40001-40006
Website	http://www.segovia.es/

The roman Aqueduct of Segovia.

Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
State Party	Spain
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, iii, iv
Reference	311
Region**	Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription	1985  (9th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO.

Segovia is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Segovia in Castile and Leon. It is situated north of Madrid, and can be reached by bullet train in 35 minutes from Madrid at 40°57′N 4°10′W / 40.95°N 4.167°W / 40.95; -4.167. 55,586 people live in the municipality of Segovia.

Name

Segovia is a Celtic name. Under Roman and Moorish rule, the city was called Segovia (Σεγουβία, Ptolemy ii. 6. § 56) and Šiqūbiyyah (Arabic شقوبية) respectively. This Celtic name probably means "fortress" or "castle".

Sights

The old city is spectacularly situated atop a long, narrow promontory. It contains a wealth of monuments, including the cathedral, a famous ancient Roman aqueduct, the Alcázar, and various churches built in the Romanesque style including San Esteban, San Martín, and San Millán. The old city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is surrounded by walls built in the 8th century AD, probably on a Roman base, and rebuilt extensively during the 21st century.

Climate and vegetation

The climate is continental Mediterranean, cold and dry, resulting from high altitude, its proximity to the central system and their distance from the coast. The average annual temperature is 12º C, with a minimum in December of -14º C and a maximum in July of 34º C. The annual precipitation is 520 mm. The predominant vegetation is black pine, stone pine, Scotch pine, oak, beech, broom and juniper, oak, with landscapes of wheat, stubble and fallowing.

Aqueduct

The Aqueduct of Segovia, typically the most recognized and famous symbol of Segovia, terminates at the entrance of the historic section. It was built at the end of 1st to early 2nd century AD by the Romans during their occupation of the Iberian Peninsula to bring water from the Río Frío (Cold River), about 18 km away, to the city, requiring an elevated section in its last 1 kilometer (0.6 mi) from the Sierra de Guadarrama to the walls of the old town. This elevated section, largely dominating the nearby scene, is supported by an engineering marvel of 166 arches and 120 pillars in two levels. It is made of 20,400 large, rough-hewn granite blocks, joined without mortar or clamps. Its maximum height of 28.1 m (100.53 ft) is found at the plaza of Azoguejo. A raised section of stonework in the center once had an inscription. Today only the holes for the bronze letters survive.

Alcazar Castle

The Alcázar, or castle-palace is perched at the tip of the promontory and towers over the countryside below. Like many fortifications in Spain, it started off as an Arab fort. At the end of the 11th century it was conquered by king Alfonso VI. During the Middle Ages, the Alcazar of Segovia was the favourite residence of kings of Castile, and almost each king added new parts to the building, transforming the original fortress into a courtier residence and prolonging the construction of the castle till 16th century, when King Philip II added the conical spires and the slate roofs. A fire in 1862 destroyed part of the roofs, but they were restored in the very same style they were built more than 300 years ago.

Cathedral

The Cathedral of Segovia stands in the city's central plaza. Constructed by architect Juan Gil de Hontañon in the late Gothic style between 1522 and 1577, it is widely considered Europe's last . The kind of is called Isabelino.

The Segovia Cathedral as seen from the air.

Church of Vera Cruz

The church of Vera Cruz, beyond the Alcázar and the city walls was founded by the Knights Templar. It is built in the circular style, a common design of the Templars, in recognition of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It is currently owned and maintained by the Knights of Malta.

Owing to these famous monuments, Segovia is a very popular tourist destination, especially as a day-trip from Madrid.

Jewish heritage

Segovia had a thriving Jewish community until its forced expulsion during the 15th century (after the Christians reconquered Spain and put an end to Muslim rule). Some traces of Segovia's Jewish community still remain, such as the old quarter (Judería), a museum and the old main synagogue. '

Demography

Alcazar of Segovia, was built between the 12th and 16th centuries.

The Segovia Cathedral (at night), created between 1522 and 1577.

San Millán Church, built between 1111 and 1124.

Twin Cities

• Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom, since 1985.
• Marysville, Ohio, United States, since 2001.
• Tucson, Arizona, United States.

Famous Segovians

• Don Abraham Senior Coronel[1]
• Juan Bravo
• Pedro Delgado
• Nicomedes García
• Andrés Laguna
• Cándido Lopez (Mesonero Mayor de Castilla)
• Aniceto Marinas
• Manuel Pérez Brunicardi
• Cayetano Redondo Aceña
• Florentino Trapero
• Benjamín Yeo la Tercera

External links

• Media related to Segovia at Wikimedia Commons
• Ayuntamiento de Segovia (New web)
• Comprehensive English Segovia visitor guide
• Ven a Segovia - Visit Segovia (New web - Under construction)
• Información sobre Segovia y Provincia - Information about Segovia (New web)
• Photos of Avila and Segovia
• Information and Photos of Segovia
• Information, visitors guide and Photos of Segovia ENG
• Livius.org: Aqueduct of Segovia - pics
• Hotel Parador de Segovia ****. Video, photos, facilities
• Segovia: A Tale of Two Cities by The Guardian

General view of the Monastery of El Parral, founded in 1447.

Gallery

Santísima Trinidad Church (12th century).	San Martín Church (11th century).	Interior courtyard of the San Martín Church.	La Casa de los Picos (15th century).
La Vera Cruz Church, built in the year 1208.	Facade of the Compañía de Jesús Church, was built in 1577 by the italian architect Giuseppe Valeriano.	Cloister of Colegio del Seminario, built by Juan de Mugaguren.	San Esteban Church (13th century).
Puerta de San Andrés.	San Justo Church.	San Clemente Church.	Former Real Prison (15th century).
Torreón de los Lozoya (14th century).	'Mesón de Cándido', an old restaurant of the city.	View of the Gardens of Alcázar.	Segovia circa 1840. Bibliographic Institute Hildburghausen.

View of the back facade of the Segovia Cathedral, the ancient City Walls (8th century), and the Guadarrama mountains.

Aereal view showing part of the city.

v • d • e World Heritage Sites in Spain Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín · Aranjuez Cultural Landscape · Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida · Archaeological Ensemble of Tárraco (Tarragona) · Archaeological Site of Atapuerca · Ávila with its Extra-mural Churches · Burgos Cathedral · Cáceres · Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí · Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias, Seville · Caves of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain · Córdoba · Cuenca · Doñana · El Escorial · Garajonay · Ibiza (Biodiversity and Culture) · Las Médulas · Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon · Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias · Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona · Palmeral of Elche · Poblet Monastery · Pyrénées - Mont Perdu (with France) · Renaissance Monuments of Úbeda and Baeza · Rock-Art on the Iberian Peninsula · Roman Walls of Lugo · Route of Santiago de Compostela · Salamanca · San Cristóbal de La Laguna · San Millán Yuso and Suso Monasteries · Santa María de Guadalupe · Santiago de Compostela · Segovia and its Aqueduct · Silk Exchange in Valencia · Teide National Park · Toledo · Tower of Hercules · University and Historic Precinct of Alcalá de Henares · Vizcaya Bridge · Works of Antoni Gaudí