By Courtney Giles
Segovia was a very popular city in the 11th century when many nobles inhabited it, according to tour guide Mauricio Macarron Larumbe. After the nobles moved to Madrid, however, the citizens followed. After that, the city was almost entirely abandoned. While that seemed like a negative thing at the time, it was actually what preserved the city.
The Segovia that is seen today was rebuilt and repopulated with people from northern Spain. Near the center of the city stands a statute of a shepherd, reminding people that wool trade made Segovia a wealthy city.
The economy of Segovia centers on agriculture, furniture, construction, and like the other Spanish cities we visited, tourism. Segovia is part of the Province of Segovia and has a population of about 55,000 people.
Segovia houses a Roman aqueduct built in the early second century. It consists of 25,000 granite blocks, which are held together without any mortar, Mauricio explained.
The Alcazar of Segovia is a royal palace in the heart of the city. Its existence is documented as early as 1122, although many people think it existed before then. In 1862, the structure was destroyed by a fire and was rebuilt
Journalism major Alicia Green was enamored with the city, including a man who spent time with her and classmates as he played the accordion just below the aqueduct.
“It was also amazing being able to see inside the castle where Isabel and Ferdinand spent their time,” she said. “Segovia really captured my heart. We spent the most time there out of the other small towns and cities, so I was able to fall in love with it. It’s one of the cities I’ll probably always remember.”
Macarron also told the class that Segovia is home to a NASA satellite tracking station. There are only three in the world, and the other two are located in California and Australia.
The bullring of Segovia still stands today but isn’t used much because most of the bullfights now take place in Madrid and a few other cities – Seville, Ronda and Malaga. (Just a few cities, so we can add them in here.)
Different idea, so paragraph. And this isn’t a complete sentence. Make it one and let it serve as a transition into what follows. While much of the popular people and activities have moved to Spain’s capital, Segovia still retains an important role in the country’s history.
“Spain was born in Segovia,” Macarron said.
Kim Prelosky, sports, arts and entertainment management major, appreciated gaining the perspective of spending time outside of a major city.
“While things there are so old, people thrive and the culture is effervescent,” she said. “It came as a surprise to me that even in this ancient little European town, people were welcoming, modernized and excited to have life running through the street.!”