Castile-Leon (Castilla y Leon in Spanish) is a region of Spain
composed of Leon with the provinces of Leon, Zamora and Salamanca,
and Castile with the provinces of Avila, Burgos, Palencia, Segovia,
Soria and Valladolid. It was formed by the union of two ancient
kingdoms: Old Castile and the Kingdom of Leon, which were separated
and reunited several times in the Middle Ages. It borders on
Asturias and Cantabria to the north, Aragon, the Basque Country,
and La Rioja to the east, the autonomous community of Madrid
and Castile-La Mancha to the southeast, Extremadura to the south,
and borders on Portugal and Galicia to the west. It is the largest
region in Spain with its capital Valladolid almost at its very
centre.
Segovia is a medieval village, located
around 50 miles north-west of Madrid and is the capital of the
province of Segovia.
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Segovia's old town and Roman aqueduct
are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located on top of a long, narrow
promontory between the channels of the rivers Eresma and Clamores.
The aqueduct stands at the entrance of the historic section of
Segovia and was built at the end of 1st to early 2nd century
by the Romans during their occupation of the Iberian Peninsula;
the aqueduct has become a symbol of the city. The Alcazar, or
castle-palace, is perched at the tip of the promontory and towers
over the countryside below. 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. The church of Vera Cruz, beyond the Alcazar
and the city walls, was founded by the Knights Templar. It is
built in the circular style, a common design of the Templar.
The Cathedral of Segovia stands in the city's central plaza and
is considered Europe's last great Gothic cathedral. |