Like other, Alcazar of Segovia has been built by the Moors although archaeological excavations show that it originates from the Roman fortress. This version could be confirmed by the fact that the Segovia existed in the Roman times and today we can see some Roman artifacts in the city.
First name of the fortress is unknown. First time in the documents it was mentioned as “fortress at the hill” but in 1155 fortress has been mentioned as Alcazar.
Today a little reminds about those times. Only portico on the north side of the castle and the Big Hall were preserved from the initial building.
Alcazar of Segovia located at the very beautiful place on the top of the hill at strategic point. It was built as the fortress but for centuries of its existence it was the royal residence, the military school and even the jail.
The view of Alcazar in the times of the king Alfonso 8 remains unknown. What we know, is that Alcazar was built from the wood. After the Alfonso and his wife queen Eleonora chose the castle for their residence instead of the wooden fortress began construction of the stone castle.
During the centuries the Alcazar of Segovia served the royal residence and the key fortress in the defensive system of the Castile. In 1474 castle played very important role in the history of Spain. When the news about the death of the king Enrike reached Castile Isabella (who was one of the pretenders for the throne) refuged inside the castle. After receiving the support from the citizens of Segovia she has been crowned in the Alcazar and became the queen of the Spain. Later she married for the king of Aragon and with this marriage the Spain was amalgamated.
In the times of the reign of the king Phillip II Alcazar of Segovia was again rebuilt. But after Phillip chose Madrid as the capital of the Spain and his residence Alcazar of Segovia began to decline.
For two centuries the castle became the jail. Only in 1762 king Carl Third founded in the castle the Royal Military School. In the 1862 Alcazar of Segovia was badly damaged after the fire. For long time it stood in the bad conditions until it was refurbished in the 1882.
In the 1953 the Alcazar of Segovia became the museum. Today it’s the one of the main attractions of Segovia and one of the most visited places of Spain.
