Alcázar of Segovia

About this place

Set on a rocky promontory, this medieval castle served as a royal residence, prison and military institution. Its commanding position explains its defensive importance. Look beyond the picturesque towers to imagine the changing political and military roles of the fortress over many centuries. The fortress rises above the meeting of the Eresma and Clamores rivers, a position that helped separate and protect it from the surrounding land. Its later roles included an artillery college and archive. These changes show how a royal stronghold could become part of the institutions of a very different, more modern state.