Autor: Lola

SHOPS IN CALLE MARQUES DEL ARCO

A few metres down from the Main Square, on your way to the Alcazar, you get to the road called Marques del Arco. It is one of the most commercial ones in town and there are quite a bunch of shops in it. You will find there anything and everything from souvenirs to clothing or jewellery. However, here goes some advice: Kukul, one of the most amusing ones, for the originality of the clothes they sell; but not just that, also jewellery from all over the world.

A bit further down the road a very special bookshop called Icaro. Distributed in two floors, you will be able to find the latest in literature and the couple who run it are incredibly helpful.

Opposite the bookshop there is a magnificent building with a beautiful patio, there is a shop there called El angel de la guarda. Designer clothes, marvellous necklaces made out of glass, handbags and very stylish hats. If you want to dress to impress, then look no further.

Just before getting to the Plaza de la Merced, and facing one another, Freia, a very special patisserie and Monton de trigo monton de paja. The latter sells plentiful of the most exclusive souvenirs and handcrafted items from Segovia in case you need to want to buy something for someone back home who means the world to you.

Last, we have to talk about Zuloaga ceramics workshop, just opposite the square and the church. The owner is the great grandson of the famous ceramist Daniel Zuloaga and has maintained the family tradition. All pieces are hand-made and hand-painted, a rare treat these days where everything comes from mass productions.

I bet you want to visit them all by now, don’t you?

HEREDITAS

The exhibition Hereditas is now on at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Esteban Vicente in Segovia. Artist Gonzalo Borondo, homeboy, is one of the more admired young artists right now. The exhibition takes an insight into his past, his present, and brings a new life to objects we no longer use. It also pays tribute to nature as a cultural setting and the relationship with art and religious symbols. It follows the path opened in 2017 in Italy but it is the first time a museum is the setting for his work.

The building is part of the old palace where king Henry the 4th lived and it is the ideal scenario. For more info, please visit the website of the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Esteban Vicente.

FOUNTAIN SEASON

The Fountain Season in the Royal Site of La Granja starts this Sunday, the 30th of May, after nearly 22 months of closure due to the pandemic. There will be 46 dates running until the 25th of August; two main routes have been designed with four fountains working per day every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 17:30.

Additionally, on the 30th of May, the 25th of July and the 25th of August, seven fountains will be working. For those who wish to see the show after dusk, the fountain of the Baths of Diana, one of the most beautiful ones, will be running every Saturday of July and the first three of August from 22:30 to 23:30.

Due to restrictions related to the pandemic, the capacity will be limited to 200 people who will have to book their tickets (4 euros) for the Fountain Season in advance through the website of Patrimonio Nacional. The fountains of the Palace of La Granja represent an exceptional ensemble within the frame of a beautiful landscaped garden of French tradition. The pressure drop hydraulic system is original from the 18th century and the most important amongst those preserved in historic gardens across Europe, with a stream hitting close to some 50 metres in height.

THE WONDERS OF SAN JUSTO

The small church of San Justo, in the medieval quarter of El Salvador, beyond the wall, in Segovia, houses one of the most impressive collections of fresco Romanesque paintings in the country. The condition of these is reasonably good, given that they were only uncovered in 1962 during some restoration works carried out in the apse. The surface covered by these paintings is not only limited to the apse but also the high altar. The scenes depicted are very varied, ranging from the pantocrator surrounded by the Evangelists’ symbols as well as the descent from the cross and a couple of scenes from the Genesis or the mass of Saint Gil.

The whole scene is phenomenal although we do not know the name of the artist; given his technique and the subjects he covers he might have been originally from France or at least trained as an artist there. This theory is reinforced by the fact that, in the nave next to the paintings, added in the 17th century, we find an amazing work of art known as the “Cristo de los Gascones”, a Christ in the cross statue dated around the 12th century, made in wood and with jointed limbs; according to an old legend the image originally came from Gascony, in France, and was brought to Segovia by a blind mule that dropped dead by the gate of the church, thus stating the divine intention for the image to remain within the temple.

ROMAN SEGOVIA

Segovia is universally known thanks to its Roman aqueduct, possibly the main landmark of the town. However, Roman presence in the town goes way back the 2nd century CE, the time of construction of the aqueduct.

The Roman conquest took place approx. in year 96 BCE, during the military campaign of consul Titus Didius and after a relatively short period of time, the town became a Latin law municipality with Tiberius (early 1st century CE) or with the Flavian dynasty (second half of the 1st century CE).

It is widely believed that the 2nd century CE is the time when Roman Segovia reached its most influential time in the history of its Romanisation, thanks to its privileged location right in the middle of the peninsula, very close to the mountains and in the mayor pathway between the east and west of the country and so the enormous potential for commercial transactions as well as an important cereal production and the open ranges. Political stability was guaranteed through the solidity of the state and the strength of its administration.

The construction of the aqueduct was necessary due to the problematic of bringing fresh water into town from the mountains, considering that the old town was established in the rock. We do not have any information whether funding was public, private or both, we do not even know whether the emperor himself contributed with some funding; likewise construction time has been estimated at no less than 10 years.

At the time, population must have been around 5,000 people and the monumental grandeur of the aqueduct must have been matched by that of other public works in the town centre.

Sadly we have very little information about Roman town but we include a photo of a recreation made by Casals that hopefully will be interesting to you. Enjoy!

PRECAUTIONARY CLOSURE

Regarding the current situation of cautionary measures and trying to be responsible, concerning the rapid spreading of coronavirus COVID-19, we have decided to cancel all tours for at least 15 days. We will hopefully be back in business from the 27th of March onwards, although we are still not 100% sure about this date, will have to see what the scenario is by then. However, phone and mail are still working so please do not hesitate to get in touch with us, should you wish to.

This is a national emergency, it is not a holiday and it is time to stay at home. The fastest we deal with this, the fastest we will be able to get back to normal life and leisure activities.

Good luck everybody, we will beat the virus.

ANY PLANS FOR HALLOWEEN?

Don’t miss our tour the night of Halloween. A very funny and interesting tour about local legends and ghosts. You can even dress up for the ocassion!

If you want to book a place, please fill in the form in the BOOK NOW label.

THE DEVIL BY THE AQUEDUCT

As from last week, we do have a new lad in town, he is the devil that, according to the legend, built the aqueduct in one single night. Do pay us a visit, take your selfie with him and we will gladly show you around.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As the year comes to an end, we would like to thank, very warmly, all those who have and will trust us to get to know our beautiful Segovia.

Have a very happy 2019 everybody!

EL LEGADO PRIETO. LAS ESTAMPAS DEL GRABADOR DEL REY.

This exhibition will be at the Torreon de Lozoya until the 3rd of March. It comprises almost a hundred works from the greatest Spanish coins as well as medals engraver; his name was Tomás Francisco Prieto. He worked extensively for King Charles the 3rd and was also director of the Fine Arts Academy of San Fernando. Schedules for the exhibition are Tuesday to Sunday from 6pm to 9pm and Saturday also from midday to 2pm.