Because Quevedo was inspired by its spaces –and even by its inhabitants- to write Buscón don Pablos. Also because in this city Isabella I the Catholic was crowned queen of Castile, in view of this event’s historical significance. And because here was where the first book in Spain was printed.

Segovia has been influenced by the mystics Juan de la Cruz and Teresa of Avila; and by the brave warriors Juan Bravo, el Comunero, or Día Sanz and Fernán García, who conquered Madrid from the Moors. But Sevogia has also been shaped by the word of María Zambrano; by the walks, gatherings and classes of Antonio Machado at the “Instituto”; by Gómez de la Serna revealing “El secreteo del Acueducto” and Louis Proust doing research in the Royal Chemistry Laboratory in the shade of the aqueduct.

It is worth mentioning that Segovia had a populous Jewish quarter, with such outstanding personalities as Abraham Senneor, principal judge of the Castilian Jewish quarters, and that in its Moorish quarter, the ulema Iça de Gebir wrote his very important work Kitab segoviano or Breviario sunní, while the prior of the nearby Monastery of Santa Cruz, Tomás de Torquemada, went over his ideas while planning a good cleaning out of the religious environment.

Segovia was also prosperous due to its international wool trade and its powerful textile industry, which provided its inhabitants with wealth that is reflected in the city’s architecture and, above all, in the Archives that jealously guard its written past. But now, today, Segovia is still being made, although its economy is based on the cultural and gastronomic attractions that it offers its visitors.

The city has several interesting museums and exhibition halls, but also well-renowned bars and restaurants where you can try the specialities of Segovia’s cuisine.

Several times a year the city’s streets and squares become the setting of artistic activities. During Holy Week, the church interiors are the venue for music lovers of the Sacred Music Week concerts.
Titirimundi fills the city’s spaces with puppets anxious to relate impossible stories full of magic and imagination. Folksegovia has become Spain’s most prestigious world music festival. You get a very special feeling on hearing, within a short space of time, African rhythms and nostalgic, misty Scottish music, alongside the old Romanesque stones of San Juan de los Caballeros.

Palace courtyards, convent cloisters and notable façades also serve as the setting of numerous events during the International Festival, which includes the Chamber Music Week, the Young Festival and the Open Festival of Theatre, Music and Dance.

Naturally, the existence of two university campuses also favours the growing number of educational and cultural activities that Segovia offers, in the shade of the monuments that made it a World Heritage City.

Rafael Cantalejo San Frutos
Municipal Archivist of Segovia City Council