The
photos below are what we saw.
From the
train window I spotted what I thought to be the Roman aqueduct,
but upon closer inspection it appears to be a highway
bridge. If only a bridge, it is an ornate bridge, that is
for sure.
The
train tracks go through a very long tunnel that goes through the
mountains. Note there is still snow on the peaks.
Electric
trains require a lot of track-side infrastructure to
operate. We got a taxi at the train station and made the
trip into Segovia.
Our
first view of the Alcazar castle from the window of the
taxi. An impressive structure built upon the site of the
old Roman fortress.
The
castle suffered a large fire and was subsequently rebuilt in the
1800s. This looks like something out of a Disney movie.
Plenty
of stairways in this place.
A moat
was dug out of the cliffs to help deter would-be attackers.
Plenty
of material was extracted and likely used to build the walls of
the castle.
About
half way down the wall of the moat is an access door for reasons
unknown.
Inside
the Alcazar, there were nice displays of ancient weaponry.
I am sure that armor was not much fun during the Spanish summer.
There
was nice stained glass on a number of the windows.
The
ceilings of a number of the halls were inlaid with intricate
patterns. The ceilings were very high, perhaps 100 feet.
More
intricate designs on the vaulted ceilings.
No dates
were provided for the stained glass.
This
hall had statues of each of the kings/queens that have ruled the
Alcazar. If you have good eyes and can read Spanish, the
descriptions are below each statue.
Another
"excessive" ceiling.
A chapel
within the Alcazar.
Wood and
stone inlay in the ceiling.
From the
upper ramparts of the Alcazar we had a clear view of the river
valley below. It was a long, long way down.
The dark
specks in the wall are sharp stone that is embedded into the
motor as a deterrent, not unlike medieval barb wire.
From the
rampart wall we could see a formal garden far below, but not
accessible to tourists. You can just see the orchard in
bloom at the right of the photo above.
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Photos and Text Copyright Bill Caid 2016, all rights
reserved.
For your enjoyment only, not for commercial use.