May 5, 2010 -- Segovia

Cousin Robert Thomson told us that we must see the aque- duct in Segovia, so here we are and it is jaw dropping!

Two thousand years ago the Romans dammed the Rio Frio, which flows from the Guadarrama Mountains, to make a reservoir. They then constructed a 14.5 kilometre aqueduct, spanning a wide chasm in order to take water to a promontory on which they had built a fortified castle. In the elevated aqueduct the water runs in a canal, but later it is conducted underground through the old quarter of the city until it reaches its destination at the current Alcazar.

This is an engineering marvel that functioned until about 120 years ago and is still sound. The elevated portion is 958 metres in length, 28.1 metres in height at its highest point, and features 166 arches. It is made of large blocks of granite aligned without mortar. It is obviously stable and is very elegant. This Roman artifact is simply amazing!

Along Cervantes Street we visited the Arts and Crafts School and exhibit hall which held a lovely exhibit of Segovian glass work, sculptures, fabric and other art, all along the theme of the aqueduct.

We enjoyed our late-morning coffee outside the Segovia Cathedral, the last Gothic Church built in Spain. It is a landmark built right on the Plaza Mayor. The style of this church is, as travel writer Rick Steves says, “flamboyant.”

Segovia also sports a bull ring that is very dilapidated, however, new paving stones all around this old ring would indicate that restoration must be planned, likely to support the city’s application to hold a world cultural exposition here in 2016.

We thought it only right that we visit the cloisters of the convent / monastery, San Antonio el Real, where we are staying. After entering we were handed an English fact-sheet and left alone in the cloisters which serve as a museum. This monastery was built in the 15th century as a hunting pavilion but was later used by the Franciscans. The complex has been used by the Clarissan nuns since 1488 and displays numerous treasures such as Flemish tapestries and art work and Mudejar ceilings and altars. The ceilings are decorated throughout, some painted with detailed decoration, beams and all, and some with rich, detailed wood carving.

How delighted we are that we made the trip to Segovia. Not enough can be said about the magnificence of the aqueduct -- it must be seen. It was declared a National Monument in 1884 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. It is the architectural highlight of our Spanish Sojourn.